Mysterious Beauty
by Lady Starra
Summary: Now, this is just a freakin' miracle. I've gotten 3 chapters of this story up within 2 weeks! I do believe hell has frozen over...heh heh. Chapter 13 is up! It's kinda short, but this chapter is a MAJOR turning point in the story. ENJOY!
1. Foreword

Mysterious Beauty  
Foreword  
  
  
Okay, first thing's first...  
  
STANDARD DISCLAIMER: Dragonball Z/GT was created by Akira Toriyama and   
belongs to Bird Studios, Toei Animation, and a bunch of other people I   
can't think of right now...I don't own it, so don't sue me, yada yada   
yada...enough said.  
  
Now on to the complicated stuff...  
  
In the DB series, we don't know very much about Videl's mother, who is also  
Pan's grandmother (duuuhhh). Knowing this, I have taken this opportunity to  
write about what kind of lineage Pan and Videl may have come from, and how  
it affects Pan as a fighter. This is actually going to be about Mirai Trunks  
and MIRAI Pan. It sounds confusing, I know, but I can't say too much without  
spoiling the story. The story may not seem like it makes much sense at first  
but it will start to once the story progresses.  
  
When I first started planning out this story, I didn't think it would become  
this complicated, but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to do it   
this way, mostly because most Mirai Trunks/Pan fics are all the same. Mirai   
Bulma dies, so Mirai Trunks goes to the past for good; Trunks of the present   
time (who is usually UNBELIEVABLY out of character) has broken Pan's heart   
and then Mirai Trunks shows up to pick up the pieces, and he and Pan end up   
getting together. Now don't get me wrong, the romance in those fics are   
really great, but I HATE the way some authors turn Trunks into a complete   
bastard! I LOVE Trunks and there will be absolutely NOTHING out of character  
in my story when it comes to him! The Trunks that we all know and love is   
going to STAY the Trunks we all know and love, and that is how it should be,   
period.  
  
For those of you who are familiar with my other works, you will notice that  
this story is very different from my other ones. I don't usually incorporate  
a lot of action or adventure in my stories but in this one there will be a  
little bit of both. I'm just starting to get the hang of writing fight scenes  
so please bear with me. If some of them seem corny, I apologize, but I   
suppose if you are going to write about Dragonball, eventually you have to  
write a fight scene or two. But let me just say that the amount of feedback I  
get on this story will determine how quickly it gets done. If you all hate   
it, I'm going to continue it anyway, because I've worked too hard on it, plus  
it would go against all of my writing ethics if I started a story and didn't   
finish it. But I hope that you will all like it. =D And any fans of my   
Sailormoon stories who might be reading this: I am very sorry I haven't   
written anything new on "I Don't Belong." Right now, my Trunks/Pan story is   
embedded into every part of my brain and has taken over. Until I get this   
story out of my head I don't think I can write anything else. I'm really   
sorry to make you all wait, but I can't help it! But I promise that when I do   
finish IDB you will not be disappointed. =D  
  
Also, something else I should mention...lately, I've been playing a lot of  
those old Sega Genesis RPGs...all of the old Phantasy Star games, to be   
exact, and those games had a lot to do with my inspiration for this fic. And   
let me say now, that THIS IS NOT A CROSSOVER! It's just that, for all of the   
non-Dragonball related stuff, like the spells, planets, and characters such   
as Lutz and Zio, are all names taken from the Phantasy Star RPGs. (The NAMES,  
not the characters! Otherwise it WOULD be a crossover) I just didn't feel   
like making up my own. ^^; If you don't know anything about it I suggest   
going to http://phantasy-star.net if you want to know more about it. The   
storylines are great, and the characters are just awesome. And as long as I'm   
on the topic, I DO NOT OWN PHANTASY STAR, SEGA DOES! And to save you some   
confusion, I have made a list of the characters, planets, and terms so you   
can become familiar with them:  
  
**PLANETS/PLACES**  
**Dahlia:** Planet where Pan's grandmother/Videl's mother is originally from.  
**Terminus:** A planet that battled with Dahlia many years ago. It was the   
biggest planet in the solar system until it was destroyed, and then Dahlia   
became the largest planet.  
**Azura:** Dahlia's neigboring planet which helped rebuild Dahlia after the wars  
with Terminus.  
**Aridia, Dezo:** Two other planets that neigbor Dahlia.  
**Alisa:** The name of the solar system in which all of the planets belong.  
**Dahlia City:** The capital of Dahlia.  
  
**TERMS  
Mystoke:** Name of the magic art Pan learns to use. (This is actually the name  
of a castle in Phantasy Star III.)  
**Dahlia Pendant:** An important artifact belonging to the Dahlians.  
**Res:** A spell that heals wounds.  
**Anti:** A spell that heals poison and sickness.  
**Meseta:** The currency (money) on Dahlia.  
  
**NON-DB CHARACTERS  
Lutz:** Dahlia's head sorcerer and the one who teaches Pan how to use Mystoke.  
***Orakio:** Was Pan's great grandfather.  
***Laya:** Was Pan's great grandmother.  
***Alair: **The daughter of Orakio and Laya; Videl's mother; Pan's grandmother.  
***Siren:** Was the king of Terminus, and caused the war that occured within the   
Alisa Solar System.  
**Crys:** Captain of the Dahlian royal guard. He trains Pan in swordfighting.  
**Kara:** Crys's wife, also a fighter that trains Pan. Kara is a good friend to   
Pan and like a sister.  
**Aron:** Kara's brother and Dahlia's royal advisor.  
**Maia:** Aron's wife and Dahlia's head scientist.  
**Wren:** Crys and Kara's 3 year old son.   
**Rune:** Aron and Maia's son, same age as Wren.  
The characters with ***** means that they are deceased characters that are only   
mentioned occasionally.  
  
Now, you're ready to read the first part! Party on, dudes!  
  
Sincerely,  
Lady S  
  
  
  



	2. Prologue

Mysterious Beauty  
Prologue  
By Lady Starra  
presea94@netscape.net  
Rating: PG  
See foreword for standard disclaimer.  
  
If you haven't already read the foreword, I suggest you do so before going  
any further, or you may become seriously confused. If you have...well, then  
read on! But just real quick...I didn't mention their ages in the foreword.  
Mirai Pan is 22, Mirai Trunks is 23, Trunks is 24, Pan is 10.  
  
  
  
Pan felt weak. She was down to the last of her power, and he knew it. She   
could feel the wounds all over her body and didn't even have the strength to  
heal herself. She had to think of something, or she would be toast.  
  
"I must say, I am impressed at your skills, my pet. But you are still no   
match for me, even if you have become skilled in magic," the dark man   
boasted.  
  
"You know, you really shouldn't bluff. It can be dangerous," she smirked.  
  
"You have some attitude, girlie. But I like that in a woman," he purred. "I  
will give you one last chance. You are beautiful and strong indeed. If you  
agree to join me and become my queen, then I will spare your life."  
  
"Never!" Pan spat vehemently. "I will never join you, Zio! I'll see you in  
hell first!"  
  
"Well, then. Perhaps I can arrange that, although I do not think you will  
see me there anytime soon. Now I will kill you, just as I killed those  
pathetic comrades of yours."  
  
Without knowing it, the evil villain hit a nerve. 'That's right, Zio,' she  
thought angrily. 'You killed them...' Pan had a flashback of that horrible  
day. Their lifeless bodies, all around her. Her parents, Chichi, Bulma,   
Piccolo, Vegeta, and...  
  
"Trunks..." she moaned sadly. Zio had killed Trunks. The one that she loved,  
but never got the chance to tell him so. "Trunks...you killed Trunks. You  
killed Trunks. You killed Trunks! YOU KILLED TRUNKS!"  
  
Pan could feel the anger and rage flowing rapidly in her veins. The feelings  
for Trunks, and her family, along with her rage, began to make her ki rise to  
an unimaginable level.  
  
"YOU KILLED MY FAMILY!" Her ki became even higher. Zio was now staring in  
total surprise. He had never seen such power before.  
  
"ZIO...I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!!"  
  
Suddenly, Pan's anger took over and she couldn't control it. A new power  
began to build within her. For the first time, she flared into SSJ2, her  
power skyrocketing.  
  
"Zio...You WILL pay for their deaths! ALL OF THEM!"  
  
Zio became stunned as the huge silver beam shot out at him. He could not stop  
it...it was too fast and too overwhelming.  
  
"NO! This cannot be! Mystoke's forbidden technique?!"  
  
The blast hit him with a loud explosion, and he cried out in utter anguish.  
  
"NOOOOOO!!! YOU CANNOT DO THIS TO ME!!! AAAAGGGHHHH!!!"  
  
Those were the last words ever to escape the evil sorcerer's lips. The sound   
was a sweet melody to Pan's ears.  
  
"Kaasan, Tousan, Ojiisan, Trunks...everyone...I have avenged you all."  
  
Unfortunately, the blast would take out more than just Zio. Pan's anger had  
been so intense that she had launched the Mystoke Forbidden technique,   
strong enough to bring the whole earth to ruins. The ground began to quake  
and break up underneath her. If she didn't leave the earth, she would be done  
for.  
  
"Pan! Pan!" a voice called out.  
  
"Lutz..." Pan murmured weakly.  
  
"Pan! You don't have much time! Mystoke is destroying the earth...there's no  
hope! You must use the Pendant and return NOW, Pan!"  
  
Pan looked at the devastation all around her. The earth was going to be   
destroyed...all because of her. Because she couldn't control her anger. And  
was this how the lives of her family, comrades, and the man she loved, was to  
end? Dead, by some wicked sorcerer's hand?  
  
"No. NO! It can't end this way! I won't let it happen! I WON'T!" she cried,   
punching the ground that was already breaking apart.  
  
"Pan! Do it! Use the Pendant and come back to Dahlia NOW!" Lutz's voice came   
again.  
  
Pan looked at the pendant attached to her cloak. It seemed to speak at her,  
telling her what she needed to do. She smiled weakly.  
  
"Gomen, Lutz-san. I...I just can't let it end like this. There's...something  
else I need to do before I return. Tell the others not to worry...I'll be   
home soon. Goodbye, Lutz-san." Pan clutched the pendant in her hand.  
  
"No! Pan! What are you doing? You're too weak! PAN!" Lutz cried, not hiding  
the fear and panic in his voice.  
  
Pan chanted the magic words, and in a flash...she was gone. Not long after,   
the earth could not hold out anymore. What was once a beautiful blue planet   
disentegrated into nothingness. Meanwhile, Pan was falling through a dark  
void, somewhere within space.  
  
"Fate...take me where I need to be...and to the one I love...please." These  
were her last words as her world went black, and she fell into a dreamless   
sleep.  
  
  
  
Sorry so short, but my introductions usually aren't that long. Now, on to  
Chapter 1!


	3. Dream Girl

Mysterious Beauty  
Chapter 1: Dream Girl  
By Lady Starra  
presea94@netscape.net  
Rating: PG  
See foreword for standard disclaimer.  
  
  
  
"No! Pan! What are you doing? You're too weak! PAN!"  
  
"What's happening?!" Goten asked, worried.  
  
"This isn't good...this isn't good at all!" Lutz cried.  
  
"What? Tell us what's going on, Lutz!" Bra exclaimed.  
  
"Pan used the pendant...to go to another world. Kami, what in blazes was she  
thinking?" Lutz cried.  
  
"Well, what all did she say, Lutz? WHAT?" Goten said.  
  
"She...said she had something she needed to do, that she couldn't let things   
end the way they did. Then she used the pendant and vanished."  
  
"So...earth is completely destroyed?" Bra asked, a pained expression on her  
face.  
  
"I...I'm afraid so. Pan's anger towards Zio triggered the Mystoke Forbidden  
technique. The force of it was so great that it not only destroyed Zio, but   
the whole earth as well," Lutz told them.  
  
"Oh, no. Poor Pan-chan. If I know her, she will probably blame herself for  
destroying earth for the rest of her life. It's bad enough that she blames   
herself for our friends and family dying," Bra said grimly.   
  
The captain of the guard spoke up. "But Zio killed all of the earth's   
inhabitants and set it up as his new base. It's not like any innocent lives   
were lost."  
  
"That's true, Crys. But the fact is, the earth WAS our home, and Pan DOES   
feel guilty. That's why she used the pendant and left," Goten said.  
  
"What do you mean, Goten?" Bra asked.  
  
"I'm sure she probably wants to give everyone a second chance. I'll bet she's  
gone to the past to warn everyone about Zio...so they can prepare for him."  
  
"And HOW would she do that?" Kara asked. "Zio couldn't be defeated without   
the use of magic. I don't see how she could stop him unless she went back to   
the very day Zio invaded earth and just destroy him then."  
  
"She couldn't have done that. All of her energy was depleted when she left.  
For her to fight Zio a second time in the state she was in...I'm sure Pan  
would know better than that," Lutz said.  
  
"I wish she would have come back first, that way we could have at least let  
her rest and heal first!" Aron said, upset.  
  
"I have no clue what she could be doing...but I know she wants to fix things.  
Don't worry, you guys. Pan's a strong girl. I know she'll come back to us  
safely," Goten told them confidently.  
  
"Oh...I hope so," Bra said, looking up at the clear sky. 'Pan-chan,' she  
thought. 'You're my best friend! We've been through everything together.   
Whatever you do...please be safe!'  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
"Trunks!"  
  
The voice kept calling out to him. He could barely make out the figure of a  
woman running towards him. She was so close, but he could not see her face.  
He could only make out her long, dark hair, and her sad, pain-filled voice.  
  
"Trunks! Please! PLEASE, DON'T DIE! TRUNKS!"  
  
Mirai Trunks shot up in bed, sweating. He breathed heavily, his mind reeling.  
He'd been having this dream for some time now. WHO was that girl supposed to  
be? He got up from his bed and stepped out onto the balcony of his room. The  
sun was just starting to rise as he looked out at Capsule Corporation, and   
then out at the city beyond. Well...what was left of the city, anyway.  
  
The cyborgs had left the earth in utter ruin. Many of their rampages had even  
caused environmental catastrophes, causing new plagues and viruses to emerge.  
That, along with the cyborgs' 20-year killing rampage, had reduced the   
earth's population to what was once over 4 billion, to just a little over  
1,500. Since he had killed the cyborgs, Trunks was viewed as the earth's  
hero, and many had wanted him to become sort of a new leader, almost like a  
king. But Trunks didn't want that, didn't want himself to be glorified. He  
just wanted everyone to live in peace.  
  
Because the cyborgs had destroyed everything, and made most of the earth  
unlivable, all of the earth's survivors stayed in one area, which was  
actually Capsule Corp itself. New housing developments were made, courtesy of   
Capsule Corp, for all of the survivors to live, while the cure for the latest   
virus was being sought.  
  
'I wonder if earth will ever become prosperous again,' Mirai Trunks thought  
as he watched the sun rise higher in the sky. 'I wonder...if I will ever find  
out who that girl in my dreams is.'  
  
He sighed. Trunks hoped to find love one day. It had been five years since   
his adventures in the past, and he had been envious of the love Goku had   
managed to find with Chichi. He wanted someone to love, he wanted to have   
children of his own. Although, he wasn't sure he wanted to bring a child of   
his up in this depleted, dying world. Just last night, he heard his mother   
say that it was possible that the contaminations around the earth could   
spread to where Capsule Corp was very quickly, and that they might even have   
to go as far as sending a team out into space to search for a new planet to   
settle on. Secretly, Trunks hoped that they WOULD have to go to a new planet.   
It would be like a new start for him, and he could leave his memories of his   
terrible life on earth behind him.   
  
Suddenly, Trunks snapped his head up, looking at the sky. He could feel the  
presence of someone's ki approaching. However, it was a weakened ki and   
Trunks could feel it getting even lower. He wondered who it could possibly be  
coming from. Then, he saw something falling from the sky. It was a person.  
  
"Crap! I'd better help them, before they hit the ground!"  
  
In a flash, Trunks was in the air and caught the person who had been   
plummeting from above. He landed on the grounds of Capsule Corp, and then got   
a better look at the person.  
  
It was a young woman, and she was unconscious. She had long, dark brown hair,   
and she was wearing a strange dark blue outfit, in a matching blue velvet   
cape. It was obvious that she had been fighting someone or something, and   
even with all of her cuts and bruises, he could tell that she was extremely   
beautiful. But...who was she?  
  
Also, there was something very strange about her ki. Because she was badly  
injured, he couldn't sense how strong she actually was, but there was   
something different about her power. It was almost like something mysterious  
and alluring, something that had more of a...magical energy to it. He really  
didn't know how to describe it. He also noticed that she had a sword sheathed  
at her side. She was definitely some kind of warrior, and he could sense that  
she had a good soul. But where in Kami's name had she come from? Beautiful   
women didn't just fall from the sky out of nowhere. If there had been a fight   
going on, Trunks was sure he would have sensed it.  
  
But he didn't have time to think about that as he rushed inside Capsule Corp   
and headed for his mother's lab. She was always in there by sunrise. Bulma  
became shocked when she saw her son walk in with the unconscious girl in his  
arms.  
  
"We have to get her into a rejuvenation tank, Kaasan," he said.  
  
"Trunks...I kind of have bad news. The tank isn't working properly. I don't   
know what's wrong with it. How serious are her injuries?" Bulma asked him.  
  
"She's got some cuts and bruises, and she's unconscious. But I don't know if  
she has any internal bleeding or not," he answered.  
  
"I'm sorry, Trunks, but until I find out what's wrong with the rejuvenation  
tank, we are just going to have to care for her the old fashioned way. Go   
ahead and take her to the infirmary."  
  
Trunks did, and he waited as his mother took off her cape and the rest of her  
clothes and put a black cotton tanktop and matching shorts on her. They got   
her into one of the beds and Trunks began tending to her injuries. He then  
noticed that she had some unusual scorch marks on the side of her right leg   
and arm.  
  
'Man, whoever she was fighting...they must have been powerful,' he thought.  
'I just hope that this doesn't mean that there's a new threat to earth.' He  
continued to clean and bandage her wounds, then wiped the dirt from her face,  
cleaning the few scrapes that were there. He felt the softness of her skin as  
he ran the washcloth over her face. She truly was beautiful, he had never   
seen anyone like her in his entire life. Even after he was done tending to   
her wounds, he didn't want to leave her side. He just sat there,   
contemplating where she could have come from. A little later, a doctor came   
in to examine her.  
  
"She doesn't have any life-threatening injuries, although her physical energy  
has been totally spent. And those marks on the side of her leg and on her arm  
do need extra attention. Once you have that rejuvenation tank up and running,   
put her in there immediately. Until then, keep those burns covered and put   
some ointment on them about every four hours," the doctor instructed.  
  
"We'll take good care of her," Trunks promised.  
  
"Contact me if something comes up. You have my number," the doctor said as he  
took his leave. Trunks went and sat back down next to the girl.  
  
'This is so strange,' he thought. 'The more I look at her, the more I think I  
should know her from someplace. I don't get it...'  
  
Bulma looked at her son and the way he was staring at this young stranger.   
She had never seen him so taken by anything in his life. In the treacherous  
world in which they lived, Trunks had always been too busy fighting and   
running from the cyborgs to worry about falling in love or having a   
girlfriend. But now that they were destroyed, Trunks was beginning to strive  
for things he could never have before. She didn't know who the girl was, but  
she only hoped that her personality was as beautiful as her looks.  
  
Trunks thought so. He could sense that she was a good person. He didn't want   
to leave the girl's side, because he wanted to see what color her eyes were  
the moment she woke up.  
  
"Do you want some breakfast, Trunks?" Bulma asked him.  
  
"Hmm? Oh, um...sure, Kaasan, but...I'd like to eat in here, if that's okay,"  
he said.  
  
"In here?"  
  
"I don't think we should leave her alone, in case she wakes up."  
  
"Oh. You're right, I suppose. I'll have it down here in a few minutes."  
  
"Arigatou, Kaasan." Trunks looked back down at the girl. 'I know that I've   
never seen her before, but...she's so familiar,' he pondered once again.  
  
He stayed by her side all day. He ate lunch and dinner in the infirmary, and   
just as the doctor ordered, he treated her burns every four hours. He tried   
not to stare at her gorgeous figure, but he couldn't help himself. Although   
she had injuries almost everywhere, her skin was unbelievably soft. "Oh,   
Kami...who are you?" he whispered softly as he gently brushed her hair from  
her face.  
  
Suddenly, she began to moan in her sleep.  
  
"Mmmmm," she mumbled, although it didn't seem like she was waking up. Trunks  
sat up straight and held her hand as she stirred.  
  
"Miss? Are you all right?" he said, hoping she would hear him.  
  
"T...Trunks..."  
  
Trunks gasped. 'She...she said my name!' he thought in disbelief. 'But...that  
voice...I know that voice! Kami, she couldn't possibly be...'  
  
"Trunks," she mumbled again. "Don't...die...please, Trunks..."  
  
He gasped again. She WAS the girl in his dreams! He couldn't believe it. No   
wonder he had been so taken by her. She was the girl he had been dreaming of   
all these weeks. But he was certain they'd never met before, though it was   
pretty obvious that she knew him.  
  
'I wonder...could she be from the other timeline? That somehow, she ended up  
in his time, and his other self had been killed? If that was the case...then  
the earth IS in danger again, not in this world, but in hers!' he thought.   
Then, Trunks realized this was no coincidence. It was fate, giving him his   
future.   
  
"Trunks...I can't lose you. Please, Trunks...don't leave me..."  
  
He took her hand in his again, and smiled down at her softly. "I won't," he  
whispered. Then, he leaned down slowly, bringing his face to hers. He gently  
kissed her lips, amazed at how soft they felt beneath his. Again, he looked   
at her sleeping face and spoke, stroking her hair.  
  
"I promise I won't ever leave you."  
  
  
  
Okay...I hope that wasn't too confusing. But everything gets explained in the  
next chapter!  
  
- Lady S  
  
  
  



	4. Pan's Story

Mysterious Beauty  
Chapter 2: Pan's Story  
By Lady Starra  
presea94@netscape.net  
Rating: PG  
See foreword for standard disclaimers.  
  
  
  
"What do you mean, she called your name?"  
  
"Just as I said, Kaasan. She said my name. In her sleep."  
  
"Then do you know her after all, Trunks?" Bulma asked.  
  
"Well, no...and yes," he faltered.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, Kaasan...you see..."  
  
Trunks proceeded to tell his mother about the mysterious dream he'd been   
having for the last few months. Bulma took it all in a little hesitantly,  
although she knew Trunks would not have made something like this up. She  
thought something had been bothering him, and now she knew why.  
  
"I think she might be from the other timeline," Trunks told his mother.  
  
"Quite possibly, but it's a real mystery how she could have crossed into this   
world, unless they made a time machine in her world," Bulma said.  
  
"But she fell from the sky, Kaasan. It's almost like she just appeared out  
of nowhere."  
  
"I know...that's the strange part. I don't see how this could have   
happened."  
  
"Mmmmmm..."  
  
Again, she stirred in her sleep. This time, they watched as her eyelids began  
to move.  
  
"She's waking up!" Bulma said.  
  
Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, and Trunks looked into a pair of gorgeous   
eyes even bluer than his own. Her vision began to come into focus, and when   
she saw Trunks, they widened in shock.  
  
At first Pan couldn't believe her eyes. The fight with Zio...had it all been   
a dream? Was she dreaming now? But the aches she felt all over her body   
indicated to her that she was definitely awake. And, that was definitely   
Trunks' face staring down at her. But she had to be sure.  
  
"Trunks?" she said carefully.  
  
"Wow...she DOES know who you are," Bulma said. Then Pan looked at her.  
  
"Bulma-san?"  
  
"Eh?!" Trunks and Bulma exclaimed in unison. She knew Bulma too?  
  
Pan studied them carefully. They seemed to be confused that she knew their  
names. 'Could it be that they don't recognize me?' she thought. Then it   
seemed obvious to her. 'Baka, you were only 15 when Trunks died. You're 22   
now. If you went even further into the past, then they only know you as a   
little girl. Of course they don't recognize you.'  
  
She wanted so much to just jump up and embrace Trunks, but she decided   
against it. He probably thought she was enough of a psycho, being a strange   
girl whom he had never seen before that somehow new his name. Hugging him   
like that would probably confuse him more.  
  
"I...I'm sorry, Miss. I'm afraid I don't know who you are," Trunks said.  
"But...how is it that you know me? Have you...come from another timeline?"   
he asked her.  
  
Pan looked at him in surprise. She didn't expect he would guess right away  
that she didn't come from his time. Then she got a better look at him. His  
hair was long. In all the years she'd known him, Trunks had never grown his  
hair out that much. Not that she minded...he looked very handsome that way.  
But she never remembered it being like that. And Bulma looked different too.  
What was going on? Then, realization hit her. She must have stumbled into the  
wrong timeline.  
  
"Well...have you?" Trunks asked again.  
  
"Yes, but...I think I ended up in the wrong place," she said. 'How could this   
have happened? The pendant should have brought me right to where I needed to   
go! How did I end up here?' she wondered.  
  
"I am Trunks...but I'm Mirai Trunks. I went back in time to fight with the  
Z Soldiers about 5 years ago," he told her.  
  
"MIRAI Trunks?" Pan was baffled. She had only heard stories from her   
grandfather about him. He had saved Goku's life from a deathly virus and   
helped the Z Soldiers in the Cell game.  
  
"How did you get here, dear? Did you use another time machine?" Bulma   
asked.  
  
"No. It's kind of a long story."   
  
"Well, that's all right. You don't have to explain now. I'm sorry we didn't  
put you in the rejuvenation tank when we found you, but it's not in working  
order right now. But it's getting repaired, once it's finished we can heal  
those wounds of yours," Bulma said.  
  
"Don't worry about it, Bulma-san. I...I can heal my own wounds."  
  
"What?" Trunks asked, confused.  
  
She closed her eyes, and within seconds a silver glow began to envelope her.  
Trunks and Bulma watched in awe as her wounds healed up and the burn marks on  
her body disappeared. Once she was healed, the silver light faded. Pan looked  
at Trunks and Bulma and was slightly amused at their shocked expressions.  
  
"How did you do that?!" Bulma exclaimed.  
  
"Sugoi! Who are you?" Trunks said.  
  
"I suppose I should introduce myself. My name is Son Pan. My father is...or  
rather, WAS...Son Gohan."  
  
"EH?!?!" they both cried.  
  
"Gohan-sensei...Gohan-sensei's daughter?" Trunks asked in disbelief. This was   
getting weirder by the minute!  
  
"Yes. I didn't intend to come to this timeline at all. I was hoping to go  
back about 12 years from where I was, before...before..." Pan's eyes rimmed  
with tears as she thought of the battle she just fought with Zio. "Before HE  
came along."  
  
"He?" Bulma asked.  
  
"So. I was right. A new threat came to earth," Trunks said.  
  
"No. Not a threat. More like an annihalation. Everyone, and everything...is   
gone." Pan couldn't control her voice from breaking. The tears that stung her  
eyes finally pooled over. "Everything...is gone." And the worst part about   
it...was that it was partly her fault.  
  
Trunks felt his heart go out to her as he watched the tears emerge from her  
eyes. He felt the need to comfort her and knelt in front of her, taking her  
into his arms and she welcomed his affections gladly.  
  
"Trunks..."  
  
"It's all right, Pan-san," he soothed.  
  
Kami, it felt wonderful to be this close to him again. Even though it wasn't  
the Trunks she actually knew, he was still Trunks, and it was heavenly being  
encircled by those strong arms.  
  
"Come on, Pan. Since you're feeling better, let's get you to the house and   
into some fresh clothes," Bulma said.   
  
Pan had just realized that they had dressed her in another set of clothes.   
Then she remembered the pendant. "My...my pendant, where is it?!" she  
said frantically.  
  
"Pendant?" Bulma asked.  
  
"It was on my cape..."  
  
"Oh...I have your other set of clothes here." Bulma brought her the cape and  
her other garments, and Pan took the pendant from her cape and put it around  
her neck.  
  
"Well, I am sure that you must be starving Pan. Let's go to the house and   
I'll make you something to eat," Bulma offered.  
  
Trunks helped Pan up and they went to the main house and sat in the kitchen   
nook. Then Trunks began to throw questions at her.  
  
"What happened to everyone in your time?" he asked.  
  
"Like I said, it's a very long story, Trunks. I hope you're not too tired to   
listen," she said.  
  
"I have to know. What happened to the earth, Pan-san?"  
  
Pan took a deep breath as she began.  
  
"It all started about seven years ago, when I was only 15. An evil sorcerer  
from deep within space came and invaded our solar system. His name was Zio,  
and he was the most powerful being in the universe. He wielded unfathomable  
powers by using sorcery and magic, and because of this...none of the Z  
Soldiers could even touch him. We all tried to fight him...but only me and  
two others survived."  
  
"Who?" Trunks asked.  
  
"My uncle Goten, and...Bra. Goten is my father's brother."  
  
"Goku had another son?" Bulma said.  
  
"Yes. And Bra...she's my best friend and...Trunks's younger sister, the  
second child of Bulma and Vegeta."  
  
"WHAT?" Bulma and Trunks said. NOW they had heard it all.  
  
"We almost didn't survive. Zio was about to finish us off when someone came  
along and saved us...a man named Lutz. He had transported us to a planet  
called Dahlia, which is in the Alisa solar system very deep in space. He...he   
claimed that my grandmother on my kaasan's side...whom I'd never met...was a   
native of the Planet Dahlia.   
  
"Many years ago, when my grandmother was still a very young child, Dahlia was   
having a terrible war with one of its neighboring planets, Terminus. The king   
of Terminus, Siren, wanted to take over all of the planets in the Alisa   
system. He had a special hatred for Dahlia though, because he had been   
infatuated with my great-grandmother, and she rejected him and married my   
great-grandfather, who was King Orakio of Dahlia. Because of this, he wanted   
every person in the Dahlian royal family dead. So, fearing for the life of   
their young daughter, the king and queen of Dahlia sent their only child to   
earth, in the care of an escort. They wanted to be assured that someone from   
the royal bloodline would remain alive and be kept safe, if anything did   
happen to the king and queen.  
  
"The wars got uglier as the years passed," Pan continued. "Dahlia, which had  
once been a beautiful and peaceful planet, had become an all-out war zone and  
much of it had been destroyed thanks to King Siren and his minions. One day,   
Siren had finally managed to kill my great-grandmother. It threw my great-  
grandfather in a rage and then he and King Siren had it out...and it ended   
with both of their lives. They ended up killing each other. After that, they  
had tried to make contact with the escort that had taken my grandmother to  
earth, but for some reason, they couldn't find her. So, for the last 80   
years, Dahlia had been without a monarch. And then, they found me...and   
brought me back to Dahlia."  
  
"This is all very interesting, Pan, but what does this have to do with the   
guy who invaded earth?" Bulma asked.  
  
"Zio was a sorcerer, the strongest magician in the universe. The reason he  
defeated all of the Z Soldiers was because of his magic. The Dahlians have a  
secret form of sorcery called Mystoke, and only someone in the Dahlian royal  
bloodline can learn how to use it, with the exception of Dahlia's Head   
Sorcerer. When used to its fullest potential, Mystoke can easily be the   
strongest form of sorcery in the universe, even superior to the magic Zio   
used. But the rumors about Mystoke slowly began to fade out, because everyone   
thought the entire royal family of Dahlia was dead. But Lutz, the Head   
Sorcerer, knew that wasn't the case. He searched for many years until he   
found me."  
  
"But how did they know it was you?" Trunks asked, confused.  
  
"When they sent my grandmother to earth, they had given her this," Pan said,  
lifting up the pendant. "Lutz could not go and search for her right away  
because the wars had destroyed Dahlia's technology and space travel was   
virtually impossible. Most of the planet's scientists had survived but it   
still took Lutz and the remaining survivors decades to rebuild Dahlia and   
restore it to the planet it once was. When they finally came to earth, Zio   
had already invaded. Lutz was able to sense the power of the pendant and   
tracked me down, and he was able to save me, Bra and Goten just in time. He   
knew who I was because I had been wearing the pendant around my neck."  
  
"I see," Bulma said, looking as baffled as her son did. "So what happened next?"  
  
"Lutz took us to Dahlia and explained Zio's powers. Then he asked me about my  
parentage, and what I knew about my grandmother. I told him that I'd never   
met her, that she had died before I was born, and all I knew about her life   
was that she had been found as a child and had lost her memory. Then he told   
me about who my grandmother really was, that I was part of Dahlia's royal  
family bloodline. He told me about Mystoke, that I could learn to use it, and  
only then, would anyone even have a remote chance of defeating Zio.   
  
"I began training under Lutz, and in seven years, I was skilled in Mystoke   
and knew every technique inside and out," Pan went on. "Lutz told me that it   
normally takes almost all of one's pre-adolescent and teen years to master it   
fully, but because of my Saiyajin blood and the fact that I was already   
somewhat strong, I was able to do it in less than half the time. Once I was   
confident I could beat Zio, I used the pendant and returned to Earth.   
  
"When I came back...everything had been taken over by Zio and was even more   
of a disaster than it had been when we first left. Earth was now Zio's main  
base, and he had killed all of its inhabitants and had begun to set up what   
he called his 'new empire' there. After what seemed like forever, I managed   
to defeat him, but..." Tears began to form in her eyes again. "I...ended up  
destroying the earth, too."  
  
"WHAT?!" Trunks exlaimed, as Bulma's eyes widened in shock. "You destroyed  
the earth? How?"  
  
"It's...a little hard to describe. You see, in Mystoke, there's what's called  
the Forbidden Technique. It's basically when, all of your anger builds up so  
much that you can't control it, and it causes everything around you to   
crumble like a violent earthquake. My...my anger was so out of control...that  
it created a force strong enough to wipe out the entire planet. The same   
thing happened when my great-grandfather defeated Siren. They fought on   
Terminus, and he became so angry that the Forbidden Technique destroyed   
Terminus, plus my grandfather and Siren along with it. And now...earth is  
gone...and it's all my fault." Pan hung her head down as the tears began to  
flow.  
  
"Hey, Pan. Listen," Trunks said as he went to embrace her again. "You didn't  
take any innocent lives. You said that only Zio and his minions were there,  
and he wiped out the entire earth, right?"  
  
"I know that. But just the same...earth was my home. It was hard adjusting to  
life on Dahlia, although their atmospheres are virtually the same. But...I   
had some hope of keeping the earth alive, possibly even returning to live   
there again. But I can't now. No one can. And that's why I left. To give the  
earth a second chance."  
  
"I see now. You meant to go back to warn everyone about Zio," Trunks said.  
  
"Yes and no. If I just went back to warn them, it wouldn't do any good, no  
matter how much they would prepare for him. His magic was superior to all of  
their powers. Even I, being a skilled master of the Mystoke sorcery, had   
difficulty defeating him. So, I thought I would go back and train my younger   
self. The younger a Saiyajin is, the easier it is for them to learn and catch   
on to things. At fifteen, I was able to do it in seven years. If I'd been   
about five years younger I probably could've done it in even less time. So,   
with me and my younger self there to fight Zio...he won't stand a chance."  
  
"But Pan, even if you did go back. It wouldn't change things in your world.   
It would only create another timeline, and your earth would still be   
destroyed," Trunks told her.  
  
"I...I know that. Dahlia is my home now, and that's a reality I've come to   
accept. But still, I can't allow the life of my friends and family to end   
the way it did. Even if it is a different world, I can't let Zio do what he  
did to the earth, and if I can save it, then I'm going to. I owe that much,  
seeing that it was my magic that actually destroyed it," Pan said firmly.  
  
Trunks had felt the same way those five years ago, when he had gone to the  
past to meet Goku. He had wanted to give the earth another chance at life,  
just as Pan wanted to do.  
  
"I don't know why I ended up here. But it was my first time using the pendant  
to cross worlds, and I was pretty weak when I did it so maybe something went   
wrong. But...tomorrow I have to try again," she said.  
  
"So...you want to leave tomorrow?" Trunks asked, disappointed.  
  
"I have to. I need to get there as soon as possible."  
  
"Well then, I guess you'll want to get some rest then, ne? We have plenty of  
spare bedrooms for you to use," Bulma said.  
  
"Thank you, Bulma-san, but I'm really not tired right now. I just slept for   
ages, and I feel really energized thanks to my healing spell. I don't think I  
could sleep right now if I tried," Pan said, smiling.  
  
"I'm not tired either," Trunks said. "I know...let's spar! I'd like to see   
what you can do with that sword of yours!"  
  
Pan blinked. "Are you...sure you're not tired, Trunks?"  
  
"Nah, I don't need to sleep much. C'mon, I'll show you to the gravity room!"   
he said, pulling her up from the couch. "Let's go get your sword!"  
  
  
  
Well, that's it for now! I'm not sure when I will have the next part up,   
maybe in a week or so...but feedback ALWAYS motivates me! Tell me how you   
liked! And I promise there will be more romance as the story goes along.   
Until next time!  
  
Sincerely,  
Lady S  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Angel

Mysterious Beauty  
Chapter 3: Angel  
By Lady Starra  
presea94@netscape.net  
Rating: PG  
See foreword for standard disclaimers.  
  
  
  
Trunks and Pan walked into the gravity room, both of them with their swords.   
It was identical to the room she always trained in on her own world, just a  
little different. Trunks took off his jacket and faced her.  
  
"So tell me, can you turn Super Saiyajin?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, I turned Super Saiyajin when I was 14," she told him.  
  
"Wow. Okay then, show me."  
  
"Okay."   
  
Pan concentrated all of her energy until the golden aura appeared around her.  
Trunks stared at her, yet again mesmerized by how beautiful she was. Her eyes  
now glittered like emeralds, and her hair went from straight to wavy. It   
didn't spike upwards like his own hair when he turned SSJ. It just got a   
little curly. But he could tell that she was still holding back her true   
power, and wondered what her true strength was. However, she was only a   
quarter Saiyajin. She couldn't be stronger than him, could she?  
  
Trunks himself got into SSJ mode and unsheathed his sword. "Why don't we have   
a little fencing match?" he said, smirking.  
  
"I would hardly call it 'fencing' with the kinds of swords we have, Trunks.   
But whatever you choose to call it, I guarantee I won't be easily beaten,"  
she smirked back.  
  
"Well then, Miss Son Pan...why don't you show me what you're made of then?"  
  
Pan unsheathed her sword as well. It very much resembled a katana, only the  
hilt wasn't the same. "Let me warn you," she began, "That this is no ordinary  
sword. Appearances can be deceiving, you know."  
  
"Hey, don't pull any of your hocus-pocus on me! I just want a friendly  
swordfight!"  
  
"You're spoiling my fun, Trunks. Engarde!"  
  
* * *  
  
An hour later, Mirai Trunks was exhausted. He had made the stupid assumption   
that because Pan was only a quarter Saiyajin, that he had to be stronger than  
she was. He had greatly underestimated her. She was faster than him and her   
style of swordsmanship was very unique. And she had surprised him when she   
flared into SSJ2. NOW he was ready for sleep.  
  
"I must say I am impressed, Pan-san. You're a lot stronger than I had  
anticipated," he said.  
  
"Well, so are you. You're much stronger than the Trunks from my world, and he  
was older than you. But I told you that I wouldn't be beaten easily."  
  
"By the way...what did you mean when you said you didn't have an 'ordinary'  
sword? What's so special about it?"  
  
"Other than the fact that it was my great-grandfather's? It's the Sword of   
Mystoke. Watch." Pan held up the sword, and then it began to glow. Trunks   
watched in amazement as it turned into a boomerang-shaped blade.  
  
"It turns into a slicer. And," she said as it glowed again, "A short sword."   
She lifted it to show Trunks a smaller version of the full-length sword. "As  
well as," she added, the weapon glowing once more, "claws." She held her   
hands up and showed Trunks what looked like silver gloves over her hands with   
metal spikes in the knuckles. "Each one deadly, made from an enchanted   
mineral found only on Dahlia. Of course, you can't make the weapon transform   
if you don't know the Mystoke art." Pan returned it to its original form and   
sheathed it.  
  
"That's pretty cool, Pan. But what on earth would you need to fight with   
claws for?" Trunks asked in confusion.  
  
"Well, claws are weapons that are used by most Dahlian women, since a lot of  
them don't like carrying a huge sword around. Personally, though, the slicer   
is my favorite."  
  
"Well, that transformation thing with the sword is a neat trick, but tell me,   
how is it that you're able to heal your own wounds?"  
  
"My, aren't we just full of questions?"  
  
"I can't help it. I'm intrigued. Now tell me."  
  
"Magic, of course. I know techniques that can heal poison and sickness too,"  
Pan told him.  
  
Trunks froze. "Did you say...sickness?"  
  
"Yes. Why?"  
  
Suddenly, Trunks wasn't feeling so tired anymore.  
  
"Follow me."  
  
* * *  
  
Trunks took Pan to the north wing of the infirmary, where at least a dozen  
people were bedridden and sick, some of them children. They looked so   
miserable and fragile, that it actually scared Pan.  
  
"What's...wrong with them?" she asked nervously.  
  
"They have what's called the Obsidian Virus. There's no cure for it, and it's   
already killed a lot of people. Do...do you think you'd be able to heal   
them?" Trunks asked her.  
  
"I...I suppose I could try." Pan walked up to the bed of a little girl who   
had experienced so much pain they had to give her sleeping drugs so she could   
sleep and not be hurting. One of the doctors tried to send them away.  
  
"What are you doing up here? The virus is contagious. You can catch it if you  
go near her!" the doctor said.  
  
"Just chill out, doc. I know what I'm doing," Pan said as she held the little   
girl's hand. She closed her eyes, and concentrated on the healing powers   
within her. The same kind of glow as before emitted from her, only this time,   
it was a golden color, not silver. Trunks and the doctors watched in   
amazement as the light enveloped the little girl, and all signs of sickness   
began to wash away. The light faded when Pan finished, and the little girl   
sat up, completely healed.  
  
"Wha...what happened? I...I'm not sick anymore," the girl said as she looked   
down at her hands and arms, and then up at Pan. "Are...are you an angel?"  
  
Pan smiled and laughed. "No, I'm afraid I'm not an angel. Far from it. But   
I'm glad I was able to make you feel better, little one."  
  
"I don't believe it. It's...it's a miracle!" the doctor exclaimed.  
  
"I told you I knew what I was doing," Pan said to him.  
  
The little girl looked up at Pan hopefully. "Can...can you make my mommy feel  
better too?"  
  
Pan smiled.  
  
* * *  
  
Word of the "miracle" spread through Capsule Corporation like wildfire.   
People were, in fact, calling Pan an angel, especially after people found   
out that Trunks found her falling from the sky. While Pan was slightly fond   
of all the publicity, she knew she couldn't enjoy it too much. She would be   
leaving soon. But...she didn't want to leave Trunks. Everything about him,   
his demeanor, his attitude and his strength, was so different from the Trunks   
she had known before. Because he had grown up in a world of chaos caused by   
the cyborgs, Mirai Trunks was stronger and more mature in a lot of ways. Pan  
had loved Trunks, but sometimes, he did tend to act a bit childish, and this   
Trunks wasn't like that at all. And in the short time they had spent   
together, it felt like she was falling in love with the same, yet different,   
person all over again.  
  
Pan sighed. She couldn't do this to herself. She couldn't fall in love with   
him again, only to be away from him...again. Pan knew there was no way she   
and Mirai Trunks could be together. They came from two different worlds,  
literally. He had people he needed to help take care of here, and she had an  
entire planet to worry about back in her world. No way they could be   
together. No way.  
  
* * *  
  
He was dreaming of her again. But this dream was completely different. Her   
voice wasn't screaming in anguished grief, nor was it calling out to him in   
heartbroken agony. Instead, he heard her laughter, and her perfect face   
smiled beautifully at him, radiating warmth and happiness. He was holding her  
close to him, kissing the silky soft skin on her forehead, breathing in the   
scent of lilies in her hair.  
  
When he woke up, he was disappointed it had only been a fantasy in his   
subconscious. In that dream, she'd fit so perfectly in his embrace, as if his  
arms had been made just for her. He remembered how her arms had been around   
him as well, and how he had felt so wanted, like he belonged there. If only   
he could make that fantasy a reality, to be able to hold her every day, to   
wake up with her by his side every morning.  
  
However, she would be leaving to do what she needed to do in the past. And it  
was a likely possibility that she may leave forever and never come back.  
  
'Baka!' he screamed inwardly. 'You can't let her just walk out of here like   
that! You wait for her all your life and you're just going to let her LEAVE?!   
Don't let that happen, Trunks!'  
  
Without another thought, he dressed and headed for Pan's room.  
  
* * *  
  
Pan heard a knock on her door.  
  
"Pan? It's me, Trunks. I need to talk to you."  
  
"Come on in, Trunks."  
  
He obeyed, and shut the door behind him.  
  
"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" he asked.  
  
"No. I was just lying down, thinking about stuff," she said. "What's up?"  
  
"Pan...I want to go back to the past with you."  
  
Pan stared at him in shock. "What for?" she asked.  
  
"I want to make sure you'll be okay. I'd be sick to death with worry if I  
knew you were out there by yourself," he said.  
  
"Trunks, you don't need to worry about me. I'll be fine, really. You have a   
lot to do here. You can't just..."  
  
"There are others that can handle things. They don't need me. I'm going with   
you," he said.  
  
"Trunks..."  
  
"I won't take no for an answer, Pan. I want to go with you, and that's   
final."  
  
Pan paused a moment. She had a feeling that there was another reason why he   
wanted to go back with her, something deeper that she didn't understand. She   
didn't want to drag him into a battle that wasn't his, but he didn't seem to   
be giving her a choice in the matter. Then Pan smiled. One thing Mirai Trunks   
had in common with the Trunks of her world, was that they both had a stubborn   
streak a mile long. And Kami, did she love him for it. Both of him.  
  
"Well, if you're going to be that way about it, I guess I can't argue with   
you. I never could before when you were set on getting your way," she teased,   
smiling.  
  
"It's settled, then. We'll leave tonight, after dinner."  
  
* * *  
  
For the rest of the day, Pan couldn't help but feel on edge. Trunks had   
encouraged her to try and rest before the trip, but her mind was swimming too   
much. How would it feel, seeing her family alive again after all this time?   
How would they react to her? How would her mother react when she found out   
that she was actually the heir to the throne of some distant planet that was   
eons of light years away? And, how would her younger self react to seeing   
what she would look like in twelve years?  
  
Returning to her old home was going to be difficult for her. Being around the  
city, around the forest, knowing that it was HER power that had actually   
killed the earth in her world...would make being there especially hard. She   
was glad that Mirai Trunks was going with her. She knew that she would be   
able to open up to him if she felt depressed, more so than her family.   
Because Mirai Trunks had been through similar things in his life, he would  
be able to understand her better than anyone else.  
  
And when the day came that she would eventually have to leave and go back to   
Dahlia for good...that would be a lot harder than just leaving him now. And   
it was a day that she knew she would dread more than anything else in the   
world.  
  
* * *  
  
"What is this, Kaasan?" Trunks asked, holding up the new watch.  
  
"It's a universal communicator," Bulma stated proudly. "I just finished it  
this morning. It'll allow you to contact me no matter where you are, even if  
you're in a different world or timeline. I was going to give it to Pan so she  
could keep us informed once she left, but since you're tagging along with   
her, I'll just leave it with you."  
  
"Thanks, Kaasan. I promise we'll let you know everything that happens."  
  
"So when are you planning to leave?"  
  
"We're leaving tonight, right after dinner."  
  
"I see. But Trunks, tell me...why are you REALLY going with her?"  
  
"I told you, I'm worried about her, Kaasan. I want to help her in whatever   
way I can. She's Gohan-sensei's daughter. After everything he did for me, the   
least I can do is take care of her."  
  
"And that's your ONLY reason? Because Gohan is her father, you want to look   
out for her?"  
  
"Well...no, that isn't the only reason," Trunks said, suddenly getting very  
quiet.  
  
"Well, then...why?"  
  
There was silence for a moment. He looked at his mother, his eyes yearning to   
understand an emotion he'd never felt before. Bulma studied the look on her   
son's face carefully. The longing in his eyes said it all. It was the same   
look he had on his face when he had been watching over Pan in the infirmary,   
but now it was more intense. It wasn't worry, or even concern that was   
showing in those blue depths. It was love. He was hopelessly, desperately in   
love. He had been doomed from the first moment that recurring dream had   
haunted him, from the moment she fell from the heavens and into his arms. He   
acknowledged his defeat quietly.  
  
"Because I love her."  
  
* * *  
  
The afternoon came and went. After a huge dinner, it was time to go. They   
went out into the courtyard that was set in the middle of Capsule Corp, and  
Bulma was there to see them off.  
  
"Since there's two of us," Pan started, "We'll need to travel with a barrier  
around us. The currents in the time void have a huge amount of force, and we  
could get separated easily."  
  
"A barrier?" Trunks asked.  
  
"Take my hand, Trunks."  
  
He did, and Pan lifted her free hand. It began to glow a silver color and a  
tiny ball of light appeared in her hand.  
  
"Sphere Barrier!"  
  
The brightness of the light exploded, causing Trunks and Bulma to cover their  
eyes in surprise. When it faded, Trunks was shocked to see that he and Pan   
were inside what seemed like some kind of glass bubble.  
  
"W-Wow," Trunks said as he tapped on the glass. "Not bad!"  
  
"Amazing, I can even still hear their voices through it!" Bulma said.  
  
"Don't worry about us, Kaasan! Like I said before, we'll keep you posted,"  
Mirai Trunks assured his mother.  
  
"Be careful. Take care of each other," Bulma said.  
  
"We will, Bulma-san." With that, Pan turned to face Trunks, and took his   
hands into hers. "I need you to concentrate with me, Trunks. Close your eyes,  
and clear your thoughts. Think only about our destination."  
  
Trunks closed his eyes, and did as she asked. Silently, Pan began to chant   
the spell.  
  
"In the name of the planet Dahlia...I call upon the powers of Mystoke," she  
began. "Let your light lead us to our destiny, your energy direct us to our  
path."   
  
The pendant began to emit a bright light, enveloping the two of them in a   
golden aura. Bulma watched in awe as this happened.  
  
"Fate, take us to our heart's desire...take us to my home!"  
  
The light soon engulfed the entire sphere, and within seconds, it shot   
upwards like a golden firecracker, and disappeared. Little sprinkles of  
yellow light were left over, disappearing gradually as the light faded.  
  
Bulma looked up at evening sky. "Trunks," she whispered. "I'm so very proud   
of you. Tell Pan how you feel, tell her soon," she went on, as a certain  
black-haired Saiyajin prince came to her thoughts, causing tears to fall from  
her eyes. "Or you might not ever get the chance."  
  
  
  
  
Alrighty then! I hope you enjoyed this part! If I'm lucky (I said IF) I may   
be able to finish the next part in a couple days. And just to clear things   
up, there was a little confusion from some of you about Pan's age. 'Mirai   
Pan' is the one I have been discussing up to this point. She is 22. When she  
and Mirai Trunks go to the past, her YOUNGER SELF is age 10. I hope that   
clears up any confusion. Feedback is good. R&R please!  
  
Sincerely,  
Lady S 


	6. Something to Prove

Mysterious Beauty  
Chapter 4: Something to Prove  
By Lady Starra  
Rating: PG  
presea94@netscape.net  
  
  
Okay, I am sooo sorry it took me so long to get this out. I went on vacation  
and I ended up rewriting this whole chapter from what it was originally. Just   
a few more things before you read on...  
  
From this chapter onward 22 year old Pan will be referred to as Mirai Pan. 10   
year old Pan will just be called Pan or Young Pan. And thank you, minna, for  
all of your nice reviews! =D I won't hold you up any longer, so happy reading!   
  
  
A bright flash of golden light appeared high in the middle of the forest. As   
it faded, two figures encased in a magic sphere descended slowly from the sky  
to the ground. When they were safely on the grass, the sphere around them   
disappeared, and they opened their eyes and looked around cautiously.  
  
"There it is!" Mirai Pan walked to a nearby tree.  
  
"What?" Mirai Trunks asked.  
  
"Look. The names of everyone in my family are carved into it."  
  
The bark on the tree read, "The Son Family: Gohan I, Goku, Chichi, Gohan II,  
Goten, Videl, Pan."  
  
"When I used the pendant, I cleared my thoughts of everything but this tree.   
I used it as my main focal point and it worked! We came to the right place!"  
she said happily.  
  
"In that case, let's go find everyone. My kaasan of this time should be at  
Capsule Corp."  
  
"Just a minute, Trunks. Let me check it out."  
  
She closed her eyes for a few moments, concentrating.  
  
'Uh-oh. More magic,' Mirai Trunks thought.  
  
She opened her eyes, and they flashed a bright silver. 'Now what is she   
doing?' he wondered.  
  
When her eyes returned from silver to blue, she spoke. "None of the Z  
Soldiers are at Capsule Corp, and neither is Bulma. Everyone is at the   
Tenkaichi Budoukai."  
  
"The Tenkaichi Budoukai?"  
  
"Yeah, but it hasn't started yet. There are still people signing in."  
  
"Well then, let's go!" Mirai Trunks got ready to take off, but Mirai Pan   
hesitated.  
  
"What's wrong, Pan-chan?"  
  
"I...I'm not so sure about this anymore."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I mean...once they realize who I am, they'll freak out. And when I tell them  
about Zio, they'll freak out even more. And for me...they've been dead for   
seven years. I don't know how I'm going to handle seeing them again after all   
this time...alive. It was hard enough being around you and your mother,   
Trunks. I don't think..."  
  
He silenced her by putting his arms around her, giving her a comforting hug.  
She was a little surprised at this but hugged him back.  
  
"It'll be all right, Pan-chan," he said. "I know how you feel. I went through   
the same thing when I came to warn everyone about the cyborgs. But everything   
turned out fine. And the same will happen for you. You'll see."  
  
"But...my circumstances are a lot different than yours were. The only person  
you really knew was your mother and my father, right? But I know ALL of them.  
I had to watch all of them die..."  
  
She began to cry. He held her tighter, trying to console her by stroking her  
hair. "Shhh. Pan-chan, it's okay. It's all gonna be okay."  
  
The feeling of his arms around her, the soothing comfort of his whispering  
words... Pan just wanted to stay like that forever. Then she realized that   
maybe she shouldn't have let Mirai Trunks come with her. She afraid that they   
would only get closer to one another and in the end it would be harder on   
them both once they had to part ways. But she had wanted him to come. When   
she thought she would never see the man she loved again, Kami had blessed her   
by bringing her to Mirai Trunks. Perhaps her arrival in his world had been no   
accident.  
  
"Pan-chan. You can do this. I know you can."  
  
She took a deep breath. 'I can't cry,' she thought to herself. 'I need to   
pull myself together if I'm going to help the people here.' She looked up at  
him and regained her composure. "I'm glad you're here, Trunks," she said   
softly.  
  
He smiled, and wiped some tears from her face. "So am I." He kissed her   
forehead and hugged her again.  
  
"Come on," she said. "I think I know just how I want to make my   
introduction."  
  
* * *  
  
"Pan-chan, are you sure about this?"  
  
"I've never been so sure of anything in my life. I've always wanted to win   
the Tenkaichi Budoukai. I was never strong enough before, but now I am. "  
  
"What if they recognize you?"  
  
Mirai Pan sort of giggled, then used her magic to transform her clothes. It  
was identical to the outfit she had been in when she first arrived in Mirai  
Trunks' timeline, only now it was purple and didn't have a cape.  
  
"They won't recognize me. Count on it."  
  
"Okay, but they could recognize ME. What am I going to do if my mother sees  
me in the stands?"  
  
"You'll need to be discreet. Here." Pan waved her hand, and the next thing  
Mirai Trunks knew, he had on jeans, a black leather jacket, and dark   
sunglasses. His long hair was pulled back with a baseball cap closed over it.   
There was also a pair of binoculars in his hand. He looked at himself in   
amazement.  
  
"You have to stop surprising me like that. Is there anything you CAN'T do   
with that magic?" he asked.  
  
"I can't use it for evil. But if I can think of anything else, I'll let you   
know," she said with a wink. "Now listen. The only ones who aren't competing   
are my grandmother, my mother, Bulma, Bra, Kame Sennin, and the Pan of this   
timeline. They're all sitting on the north side of the stadium, if you don't   
want them to see you, sit away from there. Now Trunks, I know that the   
cyborgs in your world were evil, but try to keep your composure and don't fly   
out from the stands and try to kill Juuhachi when she comes out, okay?"  
  
"What?! Juuhachigou?!"  
  
"Yes Trunks, but calm down. She isn't the same cyborg that destroyed your  
world. I also don't think Kuririn would appreciate it very much if you killed  
his wife and the mother of his child."  
  
His eyes widened in surprise, but he nodded in agreement.  
  
"Keep a low profile. I don't want them to find out who I am until I've won."  
  
"My, aren't we Little Miss Confidence? What makes you think you'll be able to  
beat Goku or my father, hmm?" he asked.  
  
"Unfortunately, the same way Zio did. With my magic, they can't touch me."  
  
"Don't you think that's being just a tad unfair?"  
  
"Trunks, you're spoiling my fun again."  
  
* * *  
  
In the locker rooms, the Z Soldiers were suiting up and preparing themselves.  
Trunks was in a somewhat uneasy mood. From the moment he got up that morning,   
he couldn't shake the feeling that something was out of place. At first he   
thought he was just nervous, but why should he be? He had never been nervous   
in any of the previous tournaments.  
  
"What's wrong with you, boy?" Vegeta asked him.  
  
"Yeah, Trunks. You've been acting like a zombie all morning," Goten said.  
  
"I just have this really strange feeling."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Like...I don't know. Like something out of the ordinary is gonna happen.   
Something real weird."  
  
"You're losing it, Trunks," Goten said.  
  
"No. He's right. I've been feeling that way today too," Goku said.  
  
"What do you think it is?" Gohan asked.  
  
"It's hard to say, but..."  
  
Suddenly, all of their senses picked up an extremely powerful ki nearby. The   
Z Soldiers stood there, trying to pick up more on it.   
  
"Who...is it?" Yamucha said.  
  
"I've never sensed anything like this. It's got a very different energy to   
it, but it's not evil," Goku said.  
  
"That's a relief," Kuririn breathed.  
  
"And it's here. No doubt they've come to fight in the Tenkaichi Budoukai,"  
Piccolo said.  
  
"Well men, it seems we may just have a worthy opponent this year after all,"  
Vegeta smirked. "Let's just see if this guy is as strong as a Super   
Saiyajin."  
  
* * *  
  
Mirai Pan waited in the registration line, trying to sense the ki of all the  
Z Soldiers. She was definitely stronger than them, she knew that. But that   
was only because after they died, she continued her training intensely, and  
learning Mystoke had brought her to a level none of the others could ever   
reach. She didn't know why she felt the need to win so badly. That last year   
she had spent with everyone before their deaths, she had been a teenager but   
everyone still looked at her as a child. They had never truly seen her grow   
up. Perhaps it was about time they did.  
  
Before she knew it, she was in the front of the line.  
  
"What's your name, sweetheart?" the man doing the registrations asked her.  
  
A name. She couldn't use her real name. She said the only thing that came to  
mind.  
  
"Dahlia," she said quickly, then shot the man a look of annoyance. "And don't  
call me 'sweetheart.'"  
  
* * *  
  
Mirai Trunks sat in one of the middle rows of the west side of the stadium,   
impatiently waiting for the Tenkaichi Budoukai to begin, feeling restless. He   
wanted to see Pan fight! It would be quite interesting to see how she fared   
against Vegeta. Just then, the announcer finally began to speak.  
  
"Welcome everyone, to the annual Tenkaichi Budoukai! The first rounds are   
about to begin!"  
  
Mirai Pan, otherwise known as "Dahlia" stepped out into the combatants'   
waiting area. She spotted all of her family and friends at the opposite end.   
They seemed to be speaking intently to one another, no doubt talking about   
how weak the competition was going to be. However, their conversations were   
halted and the Z Soldiers looked over at "Dahlia" in total astonishment.  
  
Mirai Pan noticed their reaction to her and smiled inwardly. She hadn't   
bothered to hold back any of her ki when she arrived at the arena. She didn't  
know why she was being so coy. Perhaps it was the only way for her to keep   
from breaking down at the sight of her loved ones that she hadn't seen in   
over seven years.   
  
"That enormous ki! It's coming from that girl!" Kuririn said to the others  
quietly.  
  
Trunks, Goten, and Yamucha all gaped at the girl in total awe. They didn't   
know if they were more amazed at the kind of power she had, or the fact that  
she was one of the most gorgeous people they had ever laid eyes on. (AN:   
Right about here you'd see their eyes turn into hearts. =D )  
  
"Who could she be, I wonder?" Juuhachi said.  
  
"I don't know why, but she seems very familiar to me," Gohan said, studying  
the girl. "In fact, she even actually kind of reminds me of Videl...they   
could almost be sisters."  
  
Mirai Pan could hear their conversation perfectly from where she was   
standing. She gasped slightly at her father's comment. It was true, she did  
inherit a lot of her looks from her mother. But she didn't think it would be   
so obvious! She only hoped that they wouldn't figure her out. But how could   
they? She was nothing like the tomboy she used to be. Her title as the new   
queen of Dahlia had called for her to be feminine, sophisticated, regal. Once  
they proclaimed her as queen, her days as a tomboy were over.   
  
'But that doesn't mean I shouldn't be the winner of the Tenkaichi Budoukai.'  
she thought with a smile.  
  
* * *  
  
The first rounds of the competition began. The way it was set up, four pairs  
of contestants would fight at once. Mirai Pan looked up at the electronic   
board and saw who her first opponent would be.  
  
Marron. If there had been anyone Pan had ever been envious of, it was Marron.  
She had been pretty and popular and always had guys fawning all over her. But  
she had never been arrogant about it. What made it all harder, was that   
Marron had always liked Trunks. They dated for a while, but Marron found out  
rather quickly that Trunks was practically married to his job as the   
president of Capsule Corp. She didn't want to be with someone who worked as   
often as he did, despite the fact that Trunks was the wealthiest and most  
handsome bachelor known to the earth. For that reason, their relationship  
never went to the next level. It would be interesting to see how tough Marron   
really was, although Mirai Pan knew she would have no trouble beating her.  
  
"And now, in ring four...Marron faces off against Dahlia!" the announcer   
said.  
  
The Z Soldiers watched as the beautiful girl with the outrageous ki stepped  
into the ring with Marron. They all gasped.  
  
"There's no way Marron can beat that girl," Goten said.  
  
"Dahlia. They said her name was Dahlia," Trunks said.  
  
Mirai Trunks watched from the stands, straightening up as he heard that   
familiar word. It seemed that Pan had decided to use the name of her planet  
as her alias. Heck, why not? If Vegeta could be named after his home planet,   
there was no reason Pan couldn't.   
  
"Marron's going up next!" Videl said from the stands, looking down through   
her binoculars.  
  
"Ah, that's a fine little opponent she's got there!" Kame Sennin exclaimed,  
drooling.  
  
"You old ecchi. Can't you ever think of anything besides women? Honestly!"   
Chichi snarled.  
  
Young Pan looked down at Marron's opponent in wonder, then uneasiness. She  
looked at Bra, who had the same expression on her face. Videl saw the   
troubled look in her daugter's eyes. "What is it, Pan?"  
  
"That girl that's going up against Marron. She's so strong! Her ki is so   
huge!" Pan said.  
  
"She's right," Kame Sennin said, suddenly becoming serious. "That girl is  
extremely powerful. So powerful that...no! Kami-sama, it couldn't be!"  
  
"What's going on?" Bulma asked.  
  
"That girl....she's even stronger than Vegeta, perhaps even Goku!"  
  
"NANI?!" Bulma, Chichi, and Videl all cried as they looked at him in shock.  
  
"It's true," Bra said, looking at the unusually powerful stranger.  
  
"Someone stronger than Ojiisama," Pan said. She never thought that was   
possible. Pan adored her grandfather, and as far as she knew, no one in the  
universe matched his power. But this person...this girl...surpassed it. How?  
  
"Are you all absolutely sure about this?" Bulma said.  
  
"Yes," Kame Sennin said. "Whoever this lady is...we can only hope that her  
intentions are good."  
  
* * *  
  
Winning the match against Marron was child's play. Defeating the other human  
opponents was even easier. Whenever anybody went to attack her, she simply  
faded out and reappeared behind them, or she would dodge it and humor them  
a little. Mirai Trunks watched the woman he loved as she continued to   
fascinate the crowd with her skill, beauty and graceful, flowing movements.   
She never kicked her opponents out of the ring. She would always use her  
magic. The entire time, all the Z Soldiers watched her, stunned. So far she   
had managed to defeat Marron, Yamucha, Juuhachi, Tenshinhan, Goten, and, to   
everyone's surprise, Piccolo as well. After that, they knew that she was more   
than a warrior. This girl was winning every match and not even having to   
touch her opponent to do it!  
  
"She's definitely using some form of magic to beat her opponents," Goku said.  
  
"Maybe she's a witch, or some kind of weird sorceress," Marron said. "I mean,  
I don't even know how she knocked me out of the ring. She disappeared and the  
next thing I knew, I was pushed off! The energy she gave off was too weird."  
  
"Oh, great," Trunks groaned as he looked up at the board. "I'm her next   
opponent!"   
  
"Well Trunks, I only have these words for you. Watch your back, and don't  
let that pretty face distract you," Goten said.  
  
* * *  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, the semi-finals of the Tenkaichi Budoukai are about to   
begin! The next match...Trunks Briefs versus Dahlia!"  
  
Trunks joined "Dahlia" on the stage, and she looked at him with a smile.  
  
'Gods, she's beautiful,' he thought again in awe. 'Thank goodness she's not  
evil, or we'd all be doomed.'  
  
Mirai Trunks watched as his other self joined Mirai Pan in the ring. This   
was going to be interesting. Then he looked at the way his alter ego stared   
at her. He was gone on her. 'Just great. I'm falling in love with her twice!  
Not good,' Mirai Trunks thought.  
  
Trunks and Mirai Pan bowed to each other in the ring. "Begin!" the referee  
said. Both got into a fighting stance, just staring at each other. 'If I   
attack, will she disappear and then reappear behind me, like she did to the   
others? If that's her strategy, maybe I need to do something a little   
different...'  
  
"Well, are you going to make a move, or are you just going to stand there and  
stare at me, Trunks?"  
  
Trunks was surprised at the fact that she said his name as if she already   
knew him. "Do we know each other?"  
  
"I know that you're Trunks Briefs. The president and CEO of Capsule Corp."  
  
"I'm not president yet."  
  
"President, vice-president, same difference. But I'm not here for small talk,   
Mr. Briefs. I'm here to fight. Now attack."  
  
She had attitude. He liked that. "Hmm. If you insist."   
  
Suddenly, he disappeared. She grinned. 'Well, at least he's smarter than the   
others were.' She felt him reappear behind her. He was about to make a move   
when she leaped into the air and hovered there.  
  
'She's so fast!' he thought. 'How could anyone have that much speed?'  
  
She threw her usual blast of magic at him, and he dodged it, hovering in the  
air next to her.  
  
"Well, you should feel proud. You're the first one who's been able to dodge  
that attack today."  
  
"I'm stronger than you think." He flew at her to make his next move but she  
disappeared and reappeared behind him.  
  
"So am I." She hit him with the magic blast again, and this time, it hit him,  
sending him flying off to the side. When she landed back down on the ring,  
the referee declared her the winner.  
  
* * *  
  
"Hey, don't feel too badly Trunks. I mean, at least you were able to hang on  
ten seconds longer than the rest of us," Goten said.  
  
"You're not helping, Goten." Trunks sighed. This was the first time he had  
ever been beaten by a woman. In fact, it was the first time he'd ever fought  
with one, period. Before he'd fought her, Goten told him "don't let that  
pretty face distract you." Good grief, "pretty" wasn't a sufficient word.   
Even now, all he could think of was her dark hair flowing around her, and   
those beautiful blue eyes that seemed to entrance him. "Pretty" was   
definitely an understatement.  
  
"I wonder if she'd go on a date with me," Goten said.  
  
"Ha! Not if I ask her first," Trunks said.  
  
"We'll see!"  
  
* * *  
  
"And the winner...Son Goku!"  
  
The crowd cheered, and Vegeta glared at Goku, who had just defeated him.   
Mirai Pan watched from the sidelines and couldn't believe what was going to   
happen next.  
  
'I'm going to be fighting my grandfather,' she mused. 'I don't know if I can  
do this without...'  
  
It had been so long since she had seen him. She just wanted to run up to him,  
and to her father, hug them and tell them who she really was. The pain she   
felt in her heart was so strong that even Mirai Trunks could sense what she  
was feeling.  
  
'Pan-chan,' a familiar voice in her head spoke.  
  
'T...Trunks?' she thought. 'I must be going insane...'  
  
'No, you're not. It's me. I'm talking to you with my mind.'  
  
'Trunks...I didn't know you could do that!'  
  
'Neither did I. I don't know how I'm doing it, but I am. Pan, I can tell you  
feel sad. Be strong!'  
  
'I'm trying! I didn't take into consideration that I might have to fight my  
grandfather! This is too hard. I can't...'  
  
'Pan-chan. This is NOT a good time for you to have a nervous breakdown. You  
know that. Focus, take your mind off it. I KNOW you can do it, Pan-chan!'  
  
She began to calm herself down, letting his voice soothe and reassure her   
like it was always able to do.   
  
'Arigatou, Trunks. Arigatou for believing in me.'  
  
'I'll always be here for you, Pan-chan.'  
  
She blushed at how lovingly he spoke to her. It baffled her that they were   
able to communicate telepathically like that. How did he do that, anyway? She  
would have to figure it out later, because just then, she saw her grandfather  
join her in the ring.  
  
"This is it, people! The final match of the day, Son Goku versus Dahlia! The   
winner of this round will reign as this year's Tenkaichi Budoukai champion!"  
boomed the announcer's voice over the speakers.  
  
"Now we'll see if she really IS stronger than Goku," Kame Sennin said as   
Videl continued to look down with her binoculars. She focused on the girl,  
getting a good look at her for the first time. And, for the first time, she  
noticed the rather unusual brooch the girl was wearing...and gasped in shock.  
  
"What is it, Videl?" Bulma asked.  
  
Videl didn't take her eyes from the binoculars. She just kept looking at the  
pendant, studying it, trying to make sure she wasn't seeing things. 'It's   
exactly like the brooch I have at home. The one that belonged to my mother. I   
thought there wasn't supposed to be another one like it! What could this   
mean?' Videl wondered.  
  
The two opponents stood there, looking at each other for a few moments.  
  
"You're very strong," Goku finally said, breaking the silence. "But I'm not   
as strong as you. The kind of power you have is overwhelming. Yet I don't   
believe you're a threat to anyone. Who are you and where do you come from?"   
he asked her.  
  
"All will be revealed in good time, Son Goku. Although it's an honor for me   
to fight with you today, you are right about two things. One, I'm not a   
threat, and two, I AM stronger than you." As soon as she said it, she wished  
she hadn't. She didn't want to be so arrogant towards her grandfather.  
  
"So you are. Which is why I have a favor to ask you."  
  
"Oh? And what's that?"  
  
"I would like to fight you in my true form."  
  
'He wants to fight me as a Super Saiyajin,' she thought. 'Well, I guess it  
doesn't matter.' "I don't have a problem with that. Be my guest."  
  
Everyone watched as Goku's ki rose and he went into his strongest form of  
Super Saiyajin, causing the Z Soldiers and their family and friends in the   
stands to gasp.  
  
"He's just about at full power now. Goku has to win!" Yamucha said.  
  
"I'm not so sure," Piccolo said. "She's still not showing her full potential.   
She's still keeping some of her power back."  
  
"But she's already so strong! Are you telling us that she's even stronger?"  
Vegeta asked in disbelief.  
  
"And something else doesn't make sense. If someone that strong has been here  
on Earth all this time, how come we never sensed it before?" Gohan said.  
  
"Yeah, it's like her ki just appeared out of nowhere. This is too strange,"  
Kuririn said.  
  
Trunks looked at the girl again, once more becoming entranced by her. Perhaps  
she WAS a witch or something, because that was exactly how he felt every time  
he looked at her...bewitched. Also, why did he feel like he already knew her  
from someplace? The girl was indeed a mystery...a mystery that Trunks   
intended to solve, on his own if he had to.  
  
Goku looked at the girl, who didn't even blink when he turned Super Saiyajin.  
It was almost as if she were expecting it. "I'd say we're about even now," he  
told her.  
  
"Maybe. Then again, maybe not," she replied.  
  
"Are you two ready now?" the referee asked them.  
  
They both looked at him and nodded. "All right then. Ready...FIGHT!"  
  
Everyone looked on in anticipation as the two got into their fighting   
stances. Mirai Pan kept her emotions in check, thinking perhaps this would be  
rather fun. She hadn't sparred with her grandfather in so long, and he always  
won against her but today was going to be different. She then decided she   
wouldn't kick him out of the ring so quickly like she did with the others.   
She wanted this fight to last.  
  
Goku delivered his first attack, a series of punches and kicks. Mirai Pan was  
able to evade them all, and Goku marveled at her speed. He attacked her   
again, only to have her block again.  
  
'Punches and kicks won't work on her. I guess I have to do something   
different.' The next thing she knew, Mirai Pan saw a ki blast coming her way.  
With little effort, she knocked it out of the way like a beach ball right   
back at Goku. Stunned, Goku leaped into the air before the blast had a chance   
to hit him.   
  
"KAMEHAMEHA!"   
  
"SHIELD BARRIER!" A shield appeared before her and absorbed the blast. Goku   
just looked at her in astonishment.  
  
'Where could she have gotten this kind of power? I've never dealt with   
anything like this!' Goku thought.  
  
"You're holding back! Why? Because I'm a woman? I know you're stronger than   
that! Fight me, Son Goku! Fight me like a real Super Saiyajin!"  
  
Goku's eyes widened, and the other Z Soldiers, who could hear everything  
from the sidelines, gasped in shock.  
  
"How..." came Goku's choked reply. This girl knew exactly what he had become  
when he transformed. She knew.  
  
"Don't look at me like that, Goku-san. As I said, everything will be revealed  
shortly. Now, don't hold back any of your power. I want to fight the real   
you."  
  
"Cut the small talk, you two! You need to continue with the match!" the   
referee told them.  
  
"You heard the man. Are you going to make the next move, or should I?" Mirai  
Pan asked Goku.  
  
"Once this is over, you're going to tell me everything, right?" Goku asked.  
  
"I promise."  
  
"All right! Then let's end this now!" Goku powered up.   
  
'This is it, Pan,' she thought. 'Your chance to show them how strong you are.  
That you're not a little kid anymore!'  
  
"KAIOUKEN...ATTACK!!!"  
  
As she watched her grandfather charge at her, she also began to power up.   
Mirai Trunks gasped as he stood from his seat. She was going to turn  
Super Saiyajin! She'd give herself away!  
  
"Pan-chan! Yamero! Are you nuts?!" Mirai Trunks cried.  
  
Almost as soon as Goku was going to strike, the golden aura enveloped Mirai  
Pan, and the Z Soldiers gasped in total disbelief as her hair turned to gold,  
and her eyes flashed to a green color.  
  
"She's a..." Goten couldn't finish his words.  
  
"USO!" Trunks cried.  
  
Her sudden transformation threw Goku off guard. Pan used the opportunity to   
cast her next spell.  
  
"MIND FREEZE!"  
  
Goku stopped dead in his tracks. 'I can't move!' he thought as he stared at  
his opponent, who was now standing before him as a Super Saiyajin. 'What's  
going on here?! She's a Super Saiyajin?!' That was his last thought as the   
girl threw a magic blast at him and knocked him out of the ring.  
  
"WINNER!" The referee declared, and everyone in the stadium stood and cheered  
loudly. Everyone, that is, except for the Z Soldiers and their families   
sitting in the stands. They just eyed the girl as the glow around her faded   
and she returned back to normal. Everyone was still too stunned to do or say  
anything. They all just watched as the announcer delcared her the winner of   
the Tenkaichi Budoukai and she was awarded the trophy.  
  
"I...I saw it, but I don't believe it!" Goten finally said.  
  
"She turned into a Super Saiyajin," Trunks said quietly.  
  
  
Growling, Vegeta rushed into the ring and confronted the girl.  
  
"Who are you?!" he yelled. "How is it that you can turn into a Super   
Saiyajin?"  
  
The others soon followed, and their families sitting in the stands left their  
seats to go down there as well.  
  
"This is no place for us to talk. We need to go somewhere more private," she   
told them.  
  
"She's right. We can't very well talk about it in the middle of the arena,"  
Goku said.  
  
"I said I would tell you everything and I will. But let me tell you right   
now...you'd better brace yourselves," Mirai Pan warned, as she motioned for  
them to leave the arena. They began walking out, and when they got outside,   
they heard a familiar voice.  
  
"Hey, you!"  
  
Mirai Pan froze as she saw her mother running up to meet them, followed by  
her younger self, Bra, Bulma, and Kame Sennin.  
  
"You! Where did you get that brooch around your neck?" Videl asked, pointing  
at the pendant.  
  
"I..."  
  
Videl walked in front of the girl and examined the back of it. 'Even the  
strange writing on the back is the same! It has to be the same one...this  
doesn't make any sense...'  
  
"You don't have to worry, minna. She's not a threat to you."  
  
Everyone turned to the voice that just spoke, and everyone gasped and gaped   
in shock for the umpteenth time that day. Trunks stood there, looking at what   
could have been his identical twin.  
  
"Kami-sama! Now what?!" Trunks cried. "Another me?!"  
  
"Mirai no Trunks!" Goku exclaimed. "You've come back!"  
  
"'Mirai' Trunks?" Goten said.  
  
"You know this girl then?" Gohan asked him.  
  
"Yes, and apparently, so do all of you."  
  
"HUH?" they all asked in confusion.  
  
"Wait. If you know Mirai Trunks, then are you from the future too?" Bulma  
asked.  
  
"I...I am," she said quietly.  
  
"You still didn't answer my question. Where did you get that brooch? It's  
identical to the one I have, even the markings on the back are the same.   
Where did you get it?" Videl asked again.  
  
"It's...it's quite a long story." She looked down at the ground. The   
composure that she had tried so hard to maintain all this time was slipping  
away. "It was given to me."  
  
"By whom?" Videl asked.  
  
"My...mother." Tears streamed down her eyes now. She couldn't look up at  
everyone, if she did she was sure she would break down in sobs.   
  
Videl's head was swimming. "If you're from the future...masaka! You do look   
like me, but it just...CAN'T BE!"  
  
Everyone was beginning to understand what Videl was hinting at. "There's only  
one way to find out," Gohan said as he stepped behind the girl. "My daughter   
has a birthmark...on the nape of her neck." He moved her long hair to one  
side, dreading what he would see next. The Z Soldiers tensed as Gohan's eyes  
widened in pure shock.  
  
"I...I don't believe this," Gohan managed to choke out. "She IS Pan!"  
  
  
  
  
Can we say cliffhanger? Heh heh. I hope you all enjoyed this part, if it   
seemed like I was over-glorifying Pan I'm sorry, but she's the star of this   
fic, and I felt like making her stand out. At first I was going to write this   
part much differently, I wasn't planning on mentioning anything about the   
Tenkaichi Budoukai. I just thought it would be a little fun, and add to the   
wonder of Mirai Pan's strength by having her defeat all the Z Soldiers,   
including Goku. Actually, writing the match between Mirai Pan and Goku was  
pretty difficult for me, I'm really not used to writing scenes like that. I  
hope it didn't sound too dumb. ^^;  
  
I have already started on the next chapter, which will have MUCH MORE   
romance, I promise! =D So, stay tuned for Chapter 5: All Grown Up.   
  
Please R&R!  
  
Sincerely,  
Lady S  



	7. All Grown Up

Mysterious Beauty  
Chapter 5: All Grown Up  
Rating: PG  
See foreword for standard disclaimers.  
  
  
  
"I...I don't believe this," Gohan managed to choke out. "She IS Pan!"  
  
"NANI?!?!?" everyone cried at the top of their lungs, eyes practically   
bulging out of their sockets. Then everyone looked from Pan to Mirai Pan,   
back and forth. Pan just looked up at her future self with wide eyes, not   
believing what she had just learned.  
  
"That girl...is ME?" She walked up to Mirai Pan, and looked at her up and   
down. Pan didn't get it. The boys at school always teased her and told her  
that she was ugly. She had started to believe it, too. But this girl was so  
beautiful! This was how she was going to look when she got older? Ha, if   
only those stupid boys knew about this! "Are you really me?" she asked.  
  
Finally, Mirai Pan lifted her head, the tears in her eyes obvious. "Hai."  
  
Another shriek of disbelief took over everyone when Mirai Pan confirmed her  
identity. Everyone just stared at her, dumbfounded and not really knowing   
what to say. Meanwhile, Goten mentally slapped himself. 'I'm such a baka!' he   
said to himself. 'I can't believe I was thinking about my NIECE that way!'  
  
No one, however, was more shocked than Trunks was. "Pan-chan...I don't   
believe this. That's Pan-chan," he muttered quietly.  
  
"Well, if you've come from the future, does this mean that the Earth is in  
danger again?" Goku asked.  
  
"Hai, Ojiisama. Very much so," Mirai Pan said, causing everyone to speak  
worriedly amongst themselves.  
  
"We must find a more private place to talk, minna," Mirai Trunks said.  
  
"That's a good idea," Bulma agreed. "Come on, we can all go to my house."  
  
* * *  
  
By the time everyone got to the Briefs home, the initial shock had worn off,  
and everyone was ready to find out what was up. They all gathered in the   
living room, and once again tears began to form in Mirai Pan's eyes. Mirai  
Trunks held her, trying to comfort her as the sight of her family brought   
back the memory of their deaths.  
  
Goku looked at the future version of his granddaughter with deep concern. Pan  
never allowed herself to cry in front of people ever since she was seven  
years old. 'Something really terrible must have happened for her to be this  
emotional,' Goku thought.   
  
"Pan-chan, be strong," Mirai Trunks whispered into her ear.   
  
She nodded, wiping her eyes, and turned her attention to everyone in the   
room.  
  
"I don't get this. How is it that you know Mirai Trunks? I thought Gohan  
died in his world, there's no way you could have even existed," Kuririn said.  
  
"Well...that, with everything else, is an extremely long story. Kaasan,"   
Mirai Pan said, looking at Videl, "I think you had better sit down for this."  
  
* * *  
  
When everyone thought they'd had enough shocks for one day, Mirai Pan gave   
them the mother of them all. She laid out her entire story to them: Zio's   
invasion, the fall of the Z Soldiers, how Lutz had rescued her, Bra and Goten   
and told her the truth of her lineage, how she learned to use Mystoke, and   
how she destroyed Zio...as well as the entire earth. Everyone listened,   
horrified and dumbfounded when Mirai Pan explained to them the power of the  
Forbidden Technique and that it had been strong enough to disintegrate the  
entire world. Videl just sat there, stunned to hear about the truth of her  
bloodline, that her mother had actually been a royal princess of some far off  
planet.  
  
"When the fight was over, I decided I had to do something. I wanted to come  
back in time, and possibly prevent Zio from killing all of you. But the first  
time I tried it, something went wrong, and I ended up in Mirai Trunks'   
timeline. That's how we met, and then he decided that he wanted to come back  
with me. And so...here we are," Mirai Pan finished.  
  
"How did you travel back in time? Was there another time machine?" Bulma   
asked her.  
  
Mirai Pan shook her head. "I used this," she said, lifting the pendant from  
around her neck.  
  
"You used THAT to travel back in time? So it has some kind of special power?"  
Videl asked, shocked again.  
  
"Yes, but if you don't know how to use Mystoke properly then you can't use   
the pendant either. Which brings me to the next subject. I've come back to  
train my younger self in the art of Mystoke."  
  
Everyone looked at the younger Pan, then back at Mirai Pan. "Kaasan, since  
you also have Dahlian blood, I could train you as well. The more prepared you  
are for Zio, the better off you'll be."  
  
"But I haven't trained in years! I don't know if I can!"  
  
"I admit, it will be much harder for you, because you're older and the   
younger you are the easier it is to learn it. But it's in your blood, you   
have to learn as much as you can," Mirai Pan explained.  
  
"Can't the rest of us do anything to help?" Goku asked.  
  
"I'm afraid not. Only people in the Dahlian royal family can learn this   
magic."  
  
"Pan, I'm curious. What does it say on the back of the pendant?" Videl asked.  
  
"It's written in an ancient Dahlian code. It says,'Through time and space, in  
future and past, the beautiful magic will never fade,'" Mirai Pan said.  
  
"Appropriate," Mirai Trunks commented.  
  
"So this Zio person...nobody can fight him unless they know magic?" Gohan   
asked.  
  
"That's right. It was even a miracle that Bra-chan and Uncle Goten survived.  
Lutz saved us just in time, I suppose," Mirai Pan said, her voice growing   
heavy.  
  
"Exactly when is he supposed to invade?" Vegeta asked.  
  
"In about another five years, on November 6th. By then I'm sure Young Pan   
will know the magic as well as I do, probably better. However, a year of that  
training is going to have to take place on Dahlia."  
  
"What?! A YEAR?!" Videl cried.  
  
"Yes. You have to learn the Dahlian style of swordsmanship, and you also have  
to train with the head sorcerer, Lutz. But that time won't come for a while.   
You have to be skilled in the basics first," Mirai Pan said.  
  
"So...we can expect you to be here for quite a while then?" Trunks asked.  
  
"I'm not leaving here until I know Zio isn't a threat to this world. Only   
then will I leave," she said.  
  
"When should we start the training?" Videl asked.  
  
"As soon as possible. The sooner the better," Mirai Pan told her.  
  
"Can we start tonight? I want to learn magic!" Pan said with enthusiasm.  
  
"I think that would be a little too soon. So much has happened today, I don't   
think I would be able to comprehend much tonight," Videl sighed.  
  
"Why don't we all have a nice dinner together, so we can relax and talk about  
more pleasant things?" Chichi suggested.  
  
"Food! All right!" Goten cheered.  
  
"Hai, after that workout you gave me, Pan-chan, I feel like I could eat twice  
my normal food intake!" Goku laughed.  
  
"I'm sorry I was so arrogant with you, Ojiisama. I just wanted to see if I   
could win, that's all," Mirai Pan apologized.  
  
"Don't worry about it. At least you proved all of us wrong! We all thought   
that since you're only a quarter Saiyajin, that you wouldn't be able to   
become Super Saiyajin. I'm proud of you, Pan-chan, and that's the truth."  
  
"And so am I," Gohan said, giving his "older" daughter a hug. "Welcome home,  
Pan-chan."  
  
* * *  
  
For dinner, everyone decided that they wanted yakitori. (AN: for those of you  
who don't know, yakitori is Japanese shesh kebab. It's really yummy! =D )   
Since the weather was so nice, they set up picnic tables outside while they  
cooked enough yakitori to feed a Saiyajin army.   
  
"Pan, dear, you're going to be staying with us, right?" Chichi asked as   
everyone began to eat.  
  
"Well...we brought capsule houses with us. I don't want to inconvenience   
you."  
  
"Darling, you're my granddaughter. You could never be an inconvenience,"  
Chichi told her.  
  
"And Mirai Trunks, you can stay here," Bulma said. "I insist."  
  
"Well...all right, I don't see why I shouldn't," Mirai Trunks shrugged.  
  
Mirai Pan was getting drilled with all kinds of questions about Zio. Trunks,  
who sat across from her, couldn't stop staring at her. Mirai Trunks noticed  
this, and began to wonder once again what was going through his alter ego's  
mind. 'If he's anything like me, I'm sure he fell in love with her the moment  
he saw her,' he thought. 'Baka...he IS you!'   
  
Mirai Trunks sighed. He then recalled how she had been calling to him in her   
sleep. She had been calling to the other Trunks, not him. But HE was the one   
who had dreamt of her night after night. While she had been asleep, Mirai   
Trunks vowed to her that he wouldn't leave her, and had sealed his promise   
with a kiss. He wasn't about let anyone come in between him and keeping that   
promise...not even his other self.  
  
* * *  
  
After dinner, Mirai Pan helped Bulma, her mother and grandmother clean up  
outside. Trunks saw her clearing off the tables by herself and took the   
opportunity to make conversation with her.  
  
"This is quite a surprise, Pan-chan. I can't believe it's you. You've grown  
up so beautifully, I can hardly believe my eyes," he said.  
  
"Thank you, Trunks," she said as she blushed slightly.   
  
"And I envy your fighting skills, too. You've gotten so fast!"  
  
"Well, that's one of the perks of being a magician, I guess. And I'm sorry if  
I seemed...well, a little stuck-up during the match with you."  
  
"That's okay, Pan-chan. You know I can't stay mad at you for long," he said  
with a smile.  
  
Mirai Trunks watched from a distance as his other self was talking with Mirai   
Pan, feeling somewhat jealous. He wanted to tell the other Trunks to back   
off, that she was HIS...  
  
"Well, this is a fine mess you've gotten yourself into, boy."  
  
He turned to see Vegeta standing behind him.  
  
"Eh...hello, um...Tousan."  
  
"You don't even know how deep you're in," Vegeta said.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"I'm talking about that girl."  
  
"What about Pan?"  
  
"You've fallen for her. No...you haven't just fallen for her, you've actually  
gone and BONDED with her."  
  
"Bonded?"  
  
"Yes. I've seen how you look at each other. You feel strongly for her, and   
she feels the same for you, and somehow you've connected to each other."  
  
"Connected?" It was outrageous, but it made sense. 'No wonder we were able to  
speak telepathically to each other,' he thought. "So...you're saying..."  
  
Vegeta sighed. He had to spell it out. "She's your lifemate, you baka."  
  
"Lifemate!?" Mirai Trunks said in shock. "Are...are you sure about this?"  
  
"Of course I am."  
  
"I...I do love her, Tousan. She's the most incredible person I've ever met.  
But..."  
  
"But?"  
  
"She's not from my time. If we were to be together, I would have to leave my  
world, or she would have to leave hers. She's a QUEEN, Tousan, and I can't   
take that from her."  
  
"Then go with her to her world."  
  
"It's not that easy."  
  
"Boy, I will tell you right now that if you go your separate ways and don't  
stay with each other, both you and the girl will feel wretched for the rest   
of your existence. Bonding with someone is not to be taken lightly. If you   
are without each other, it could very well kill one or both of you. That is  
how strong a Saiyajin bond is," Vegeta told him.  
  
"Oh, boy," Mirai Trunks sighed in frustration. 'Me and Pan-chan, lifemates?'  
He shouldn't have been so surprised. He had wished for that to be so the   
moment he first saw her. But he didn't think Pan would actually feel the same  
way. If what Vegeta said was true...that they could die without one   
another...  
  
The promise he made to her once again entered his mind. His coming with her   
to the past was not just because he loved her, but because of what Vegeta   
said...he may have died and become miserable if she left him and never   
returned. But also, they had just met. If he told her now that they   
supposedly "bonded" it was sure to scare her off. He WAS NOT going to break  
his promise to her. When the time was right, he would confess his love, and  
somehow...he would find a way to stay with her.  
  
* * *  
  
The Sons stayed at the Briefs' until well past midnight. All night long,  
Young Pan was asking her older self a thousand questions about magic and what   
it was like being a princess. Before Mirai Pan left with her family, she said  
good night to Mirai Trunks.  
  
"Thank you again, Trunks," she said as she hugged him. "I couldn't have done   
this without your help."  
  
"I told you, I'll always be here for you, Pan-chan. I'm not leaving you   
anytime soon," he said as he hugged her back.  
  
"Good night, Trunks," she said as she kissed him on the cheek. He returned   
the gesture by kissing her on the forehead.  
  
"Good night, Pan-chan."  
  
Meanwhile, another blue-eyed, lavender-haired figure watched them from around   
the corner, jealousy gnawing at his heart.  
  
'What are you jealous of, Trunks? Yourself?' He sighed. 'I wonder if they   
love each other...'  
  
Then, he thought about Pan as a little girl. He was still having a hard time  
believing that a little tomboy like her would grow up to be someone so   
elegant and beautiful. And, provided they would be able to defeat this Zio,  
he would watch her become the swan that was before him. The younger Pan was   
fourteen years younger than him, but knowing that she would be like THIS  
when she was older...  
  
"Hi, Trunks!"  
  
Startled, Trunks turned to see Young Pan behind him.  
  
"Oh, eh...hi, Pan-chan," he said.  
  
"Trunks, you weren't spying on them, were you?" she whispered as she looked   
around the corner.  
  
"Um...well..."  
  
"Can you believe it, Trunks? I still can't believe that she's me. I can't   
believe how pretty I am! Aren't I pretty, Trunks?" Pan asked excitedly.  
  
"Yes, Pan-chan. She is very pretty," he agreed, smiling at her.  
  
"I want to be just like that when I'm older, Trunks. Pretty and strong." She  
took off her orange bandana and handed it to him. "Here. Keep this for me,  
okay?"  
  
"But...Pan-chan, you love this! You never go anywhere without it!" Trunks  
said.  
  
"I know. But I want to be like her, Trunks. She doesn't wear it, so I'm not  
going to either. I'm going to be just like her one day, Trunks. Just wait and  
see."  
  
* * *  
  
Later on, at the Son residence, Mirai Pan couldn't sleep. She got up and sat  
outside, looking up at the stars. The stars on Dahlia were so different, and  
she had almost forgotten what the night sky here looked like. So many   
memories...  
  
She was with her family again. Then, the images of their deaths once again  
appeared in her mind. So much pain...  
  
Finally, she did the one thing she had been wanting to do ever since that   
afternoon. She began to sob, and tears overtook her and she couldn't stop it.  
  
"Pan-chan?"  
  
Mirai Pan hadn't noticed her grandfather walk outside next to her.  
  
"Pan-chan, what's wrong?"  
  
"Ojiisama," she sobbed in a choked voice, going into his arms.  
  
"It's okay, Pan-chan. You know you can always talk to me, right? Why don't   
you tell your grandpa everything?"  
  
"Ojiisama...it was so horrible. I had to watch...everybody die. I don't know  
what I would have done if Uncle Goten and Bra hadn't survived. I've missed   
you all so much, Ojiisama," Mirai Pan cried softly as her grandfather   
consoled her.  
  
"I can't imagine how difficult things have been for you. But I'm glad your   
Uncle and Bra-chan are still there for you. And now, it seems that you have  
Mirai Trunks as well, ne?"  
  
She looked up at her grandfather in surprise.  
  
"I've seen the way he looks at you, Pan-chan. He cares for you. Deeply. Maybe  
it's even more than that. I think he loves you, and I think you love him   
too."  
  
"It...it's complicated, Ojiisama. I've loved Trunks all my life. But I don't   
think he ever loved me. And now, with Mirai Trunks...he's different from the  
Trunks I knew, and the possiblity that he could love me is so ironic. We come  
from two different realities, two different worlds. We can't be together."  
  
"Pan-chan," Goku said gently. "If you love him, and he loves you, you'll find   
a way. If you love each other, nothing's going to keep you apart." He gave   
his granddaughter a warm smile. "Remember that."  
  
* * *  
  
When he finally got the chance to be alone, Mirai Trunks took the time to   
call his mother.  
  
"Trunks! You guys made it!" she said happily.  
  
"Hai, Kaasan. We've already met everyone from this time and told them   
everything. How are things going at home?"  
  
"Oh, Trunks. Things are not looking well. The environment is still getting   
worse, and by my calculations, within a year and a half our water supply will   
be completely ruined. We need to find a new planet to inhabit, and soon."  
  
"Oh, no. Kaasan, isn't there any way to fix it?"  
  
"We've tried everything, Trunks. Nothing seems to work. The cyborgs did a   
very thorough job destroying this world, there's no doubt about that."  
  
Mirai Trunks became disturbed. He wasn't sure how long it would be before he  
returned home. Pan didn't want to leave until her mother and her younger self  
were trained, and that would take a few years at most. They had already sent   
a team out in space to either look for a new planet to inhabit or to find a   
way to save the earth.  
  
"We haven't given up hope yet, Trunks. We'll find a way, don't worry."  
  
"I know you will, Kaasan."  
  
When he finished talking with his mother, Mirai Trunks was deep in thought.   
'A new planet. I wonder...'  
  
* * *  
  
'Pan-chan! Pan-chan! Are you awake?'  
  
Mirai Pan jumped in surprise when she heard his voice in her mind again.  
  
'Trunks?'  
  
'Hai. Still up?'  
  
'I can't sleep very well. What's up?'  
  
'Pan-chan...what's it like on Dahlia?'  
  
'Hmm? Why do you ask?'  
  
'I...just want to know. I want to know everything about it.'  
  
'Everything?'  
  
'Everything.'  
  
'Well...it's beautiful. It's smaller than the earth, but it's the largest   
planet in the Alisa solar system. The weather is always gorgeous, and it   
rarely ever gets cold. But nighttime is the best. The stars...they're so   
different there. The constellations are incredible. The beaches are so clean  
and beautiful, and we have blue dolphins on Dahlia. They're so friendly, you   
can swim with them all day long.'  
  
'Wow...'  
  
'And Dahlians have the best cuisine I've ever tasted. Crops are always   
plentiful there, and the marketplaces are a shopper's dream. There are   
islands, mountains, and forests everywhere, and the lagoons on the islands   
are simply breathtaking. All of the animals are beautiful, and I have a lot of   
strange pets at home.'  
  
'Like what?'  
  
'Well, I have a winged horse named Tenshi, and I also have two Dahlian   
Panthers named Yuki and Tenka.'   
  
'Dahlian Panthers?'  
  
'They look and move just like panthers, but they're completely white and have  
silver eyes. And they're very friendly with people. Not only that, but all   
of the animals on Dahlia can talk.'  
  
'Really?'  
  
'Hai. My pets are my best friends, and I talk to them about everything.'  
  
'How big is the population?'  
  
She was beginning to wonder why he was asking all this. 'It used to be much   
larger than it is now, but it's never been anywhere near Earth's population.   
Before the wars when my great grandparents ruled it was about 250,000. Now   
there are less than 30,000.'  
  
'It sounds like a really great place, Pan-chan. I wish I could see it.'  
  
'You can.'  
  
'How?'  
  
'When I take my mother and my younger self to Dahlia for their training   
there. You can come with us.'  
  
'Do you really mean it?'  
  
'Of course. I'm sure Bra-chan and Uncle Goten would love to meet you.'  
  
'That sounds wonderful, Pan-chan. I can hardly wait.'  
  
  
  
  
Whoa, I got this done a lot faster than I thought I would! I dunno when I'll  
finish the next one, maybe in a week but I'm not sure. As always, I hope   
everyone enjoyed it! =D  
  
R&R please!  
  
Sincerely,  
Lady S  
  
  



	8. To Be With You

Mysterious Beauty  
By Lady Starra  
Chapter 6: To Be With You  
Rating: R  
presea94@netscape.net  
See foreword for standard disclaimers.  
  
  
Wow, I can't believe how fast I'm getting these chapters out! Maybe I'm   
just having a good week. =D No telling how long that'll last though. I   
have a job interview this week, so if I start working, I don't know how  
quickly I'll be able to get the rest of the story done. So, enjoy this  
while it lasts, because it might not last long.   
  
  
* * *  
  
  
About a year went by since Mirai Trunks and Mirai Pan came to the past.   
Although she had never trained anybody before, Mirai Pan thought she was   
doing a pretty good job with Young Pan and her mother. Because of her age,  
Young Pan was able to learn everything much faster than even Mirai Pan did   
when she first began her own training. But Videl was having a harder time,   
mostly because she was a lot older and hadn't trained in quite some time.  
Even so, Mirai Pan thought it was about time she took them to meet Lutz.  
  
"We should be going to Dahlia soon," Mirai Pan told them at the end of a   
training session one night. "In another week, I'm confident you'll have the  
Foi attacks down, Kaasan. I think that's the minimum for you to begin your  
training with Lutz."  
  
"I can't wait! I've been waiting for this for a long time! I can't wait to   
see what Dahlia is like!" Pan said.  
  
"Yes, it'll be interesting to see what my true heritage is," Videl said.   
  
"Mirai Trunks is coming with us too. I promised him that he could."  
  
"Oooh, Mirai Trunks! Are you gonna marry him someday?" Pan asked   
mischievously, and Mirai Pan blushed.   
  
"Mirai Trunks is a fine young man. You seem to be very close with him," Videl  
said.  
  
"We are close. We have a lot in common, and we can talk to each other about  
anything. And the way he speaks to me...he's so gentle and sweet. I think he  
loves me, but...I don't know," she sighed.  
  
"Well, maybe you should talk to him about it sometime," Videl suggested.  
  
"Maybe I will."  
  
* * *  
  
"Leaving?! In a week?!?!" Trunks cried.  
  
"Hai, Mirai Pan was talking about it last night," Goten said.  
  
"Well, she told us that eventually they would have to do a year of training   
there. But a whole year..."  
  
"And also...Mirai Trunks is going with them," Goten added.  
  
"Nani?! WHY?!"  
  
"I don't know, she just said that she promised him that he could come along."  
  
Trunks calmed down as he made his next statement. "Then I guess I'll just   
have to go too."  
  
Goten laughed. "Yeah, right. What about your job? They just made you   
president last month, I don't think you're going to be able to take a leave   
of absence for a whole year!"  
  
"We'll see about that."  
  
"I can't believe all this time has passed and you still haven't told Mirai   
Pan that you like her."  
  
"Well, we rarely see each other, Goten! I'm always working, and she's been  
busy training Pan-chan and Videl."   
  
"And don't forget about all the time she spends with Mirai Trunks," Goten   
told him.  
  
Trunks stiffened. "And...how much time DO they spend together?"  
  
"Geez, Trunks, have you been living under a rock or something? I guess that   
job of yours has made you too blind to notice."  
  
"Notice WHAT?!"  
  
"Whenever Mirai Pan's not training, she's usually with him. Sometimes he   
comes over for dinner and afterwards they go out and do something on their  
own."  
  
"Maybe I should have let her know my feelings sooner. But...they're not   
officially together, are they?"  
  
"No, but I can tell that they care for one another very much."  
  
"Well, they're not together, and that's all that matters. I HAVE to go on  
this trip, Goten. I need to tell her how I feel, I might still have a chance.  
Besides, I haven't had a real vacation in two years. I'm going, and no one is  
going to stop me."  
  
* * *  
  
"Mirai Trunks! Well, isn't this a nice surprise?" Chichi greeted when she   
opened the front door to see Mirai Trunks standing there.  
  
"Good afternoon, Chichi-san. May I come in?"  
  
"Of course, but Pan-chan's not here right now."  
  
"I know, but actually...I came to speak with Gohan. Is he home?"  
  
"Yes, he is. Come on in."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Gohan! Mirai Trunks is here to see you!"  
  
"Hi there, Trunks," Gohan said as he came downstairs. "What are you doing   
here so early?"  
  
"I wanted to talk to you, Gohan-san. About Pan."  
  
"Pan, ne? Which one?"  
  
"The older one."  
  
"But of course. Well, have seat."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"So, what's going on with Mirai Pan?" Gohan asked.  
  
"Eh...well, you see...the truth is..." Mirai Trunks paused. Kami, if he had   
this much trouble telling Gohan, how was he going to tell Pan?  
  
"What is it? You can tell me."  
  
"Well, Gohan-san...I...I'm in love with her."  
  
Gohan was silent for a moment, then spoke. "Well, I can't say I'm surprised.   
I had a feeling you might be."  
  
Mirai Trunks looked at him in surprise. "You did?"  
  
"Well, you're with each other all the time. I thought SOMETHING was going   
on."  
  
"Oh. Well, the main reason I'm here is...I want your advice on something."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"You see...I don't know how to tell her."  
  
"Tell her what?"  
  
"That...that I love her."  
  
Gohan blinked. "You mean she DOESN'T know?"  
  
"No. I've never told her."  
  
"Trunks, exactly how long have you been in love with her?" Gohan asked him.  
  
"Since I first met her, Gohan-san," he confessed.  
  
"Kami-sama! You've loved her all this time and never told her? Why, Trunks?"  
  
"I...don't know. I was waiting for the right time. But I don't know how to   
tell her. I mean...I want it to be special when I do tell her. So she won't  
forget that I love her."  
  
"Hmm..."  
  
"And also...I wanted to get your approval. You're her father, after all, and   
I have the utmost respect for you, Gohan-san. I couldn't be in a relationship   
with her unless it was okay with you."  
  
"Trunks, of course you have my approval. Mirai Pan is a mature young woman, I  
am sure she can be trusted to make the right decisions. But as for your   
problem...I think I know just what you can do."  
  
Mirai Trunks looked hopefully at Gohan. "What?"  
  
* * *  
  
"I hope Obaasan has dinner ready! I'm starving!" Pan said as she, Mirai Pan   
and Videl landed in front of the Son home.  
  
"It's six o'clock. I'm sure she has dinner ready by now," Videl said.  
  
When they entered the house, they were surprised to see Mirai Trunks talking  
with Gohan, Goku and Chichi.  
  
"Trunks!" Mirai Pan greeted him with a smile. "You're here early. Are you  
staying for dinner?"  
  
"Actually, I was hoping I could take you out for dinner tonight, Pan-chan,"  
he said.  
  
"Go out?" She was caught somewhat off guard. Did he mean go out, like going   
out on a date? "Um...sure. You're not taking me anywhere too fancy, are you?"  
  
"No. It'll be outdoors."  
  
"Okay, sounds great. Just let me change and get cleaned up."  
  
"I'll be waiting."  
  
When Mirai Pan went upstairs, Young Pan smiled at Mirai Trunks. "You're going  
out on a date? I knew you two were gonna get married someday!"  
  
"Eh..." Mirai trunks began to sweatdrop.  
  
"That's enough, Pan-chan. Why don't you go upstairs and get cleaned up too,   
hmm?" Videl said.  
  
"All right, Kaasan. But they ARE gonna get married!"  
  
"Pan-chan!"  
  
* * *  
  
"Okay, I'm ready," Mirai Pan announced, coming down the stairs. "Where are we  
going, Trunks?"  
  
"It's a surprise. Come on," he said, taking her hand and leading her to the  
door.  
  
"Have fun, you two!" Chichi called after them as they headed out the door.  
  
"We won't wait up," Gohan said with a smirk when they were out of hearing   
range.  
  
"Just what do you mean by that, Son Gohan?" Videl asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Well, you see..."  
  
* * *  
  
"Why all the secrecy, Trunks?" she asked. Instead of answering her, he picked   
her up in his arms. "Trunks?! What are you doing?"  
  
"We need to fly to get there, but you can't see it until we land. So I'm   
going to carry you, and you have to keep you eyes closed until I tell you to  
open them."  
  
"I should tell you right now that I don't really like surprises."  
  
"You'll like this one. Trust me. Now, close your eyes."  
  
Sighing, she obeyed, and he took off into the sky towards their destination.  
  
'What is he up to?' she wondered.  
  
'You'll find out,' he answered, reading her thoughts.  
  
Ugh. Sometimes she forgot that he could read her mind.  
  
"We're almost there," he said, and within a few more minutes, he landed.   
"Don't open your eyes yet," he said. He set her on her feet and walked behind  
her, covering her eyes with his hands. "Now, start walking forward."  
  
They walked a few steps, and then Trunks told her to stop.  
  
"Now," he said, removing his hands, "Open your eyes."  
  
When her eyes opened, she gasped. They were in the middle of the forest where  
the Son tree sat, the tree that had her family's names on it. It was covered   
with a string of white lights, and almost looked like a Christmas tree. Under  
the tree, there was a blanket and several picnic baskets, no doubt enough   
food to feed two Saiyajins. It was breathtaking.  
  
"Trunks...this is beautiful!"  
  
"I told you you'd like it. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm starved!"  
  
"Me too. But what's the occasion, Trunks?"  
  
"We can talk later. Let's eat first," he said as he led her under the tree  
and handed her a picnic basket.  
  
"Who made all this?" she asked.  
  
"Chichi did. Your father and I set everything up though," he said.  
  
"Tousan helped you?"  
  
"Hai. I wanted to do something special for you, and he suggested this."  
  
"Well...this IS very relaxing. I just can't believe you went to all this   
trouble."  
  
In the beginning of their meal, they talked about the usual things, how Videl  
and Young Pan's training was coming along, the trip to Dahlia, and so forth.  
However, Pan had a feeling there was something Trunks was trying to say, but  
couldn't.  
  
"Trunks, why do I get the feeling that you didn't bring me out here just to  
talk about the same boring stuff we always talk about?" she asked him.  
  
He sighed. "Hai. You're right. But this is very hard for me to say, Pan-chan.  
I have so much to tell you, I don't know where I should start."  
  
"Don't feel that way, Trunks. You know you can tell me anything."  
  
"I know. I...have some confessions to make to you, Pan-chan."  
  
She didn't know why, but she started to feel nervous. Was this going to be   
bad news?  
  
"My world is dying, Pan-chan. I've been keeping in touch with Kaasan, and  
things on our Earth are deteriorating more every day. In another six to eight  
months, Earth in my time will be unsuitable for anybody to live in."  
  
"Oh, no...Trunks, can't they do anything about it?"  
  
"No. I want to go to Dahlia, not just for myself, but for the people in my  
time. And so, I ask you, the Queen of Dahlia, this question: may the   
survivors in my world seek refuge on Dahlia?"  
  
"Wha...what?"  
  
"We need to find a new home, Pan-chan. If we don't, everyone will die. I want  
the people of my world to live on Dahlia."  
  
Pan was stunned. "You...want to come and live in my world?"  
  
"Yes. I know it would take a lot of work, transporting 1,500 people through  
time and space...but there's no other choice for us, Pan-chan. And...I don't  
only want to do it for the people in my time, but for myself...and you."  
  
"For...me?"  
  
"Pan-chan...for weeks before we met...I was having these dreams. A girl was  
calling out my name, crying, telling me not to die. I didn't understand it at  
all. I couldn't make out who she was, all I could see was that she had long  
dark hair. And then...that day I found you...falling from the sky in my world.   
You were unconscious, and we took you to the infirmary, and you were talking   
in your sleep. You...you said my name."  
  
Pan gulped. This was the last thing she expected to hear...  
  
"You said my name, told me not to die, not to leave you. That was when I   
realized you had to be from another timeline, because I'd never met you   
before, except for in my dreams. And I knew it was you, Pan-chan. Your voice  
and the voice in my dream were the same. I realized then, that I had found my  
destiny that day, Pan-chan."  
  
"Trunks..."  
  
"While you slept, I made a vow to you that I wouldn't leave you. And I don't  
intend to, Pan-chan, not ever. Tousan told me...Tousan told me that we've  
bonded."  
  
"Bonded?" She couldn't believe this. Her and Mirai Trunks, bonded...  
  
"It was hard to believe at first, but then I realized that's why we can talk   
to each other with our minds. He also said that if you went back to your   
world, and I went back to mine...if we separated from one another...it could  
make us miserable, even kill us. And I WOULD die without you, Pan-chan," he  
said as he came closer to her, holding her cheek in his hand.   
  
Tears streamed down her face. "I would too," she whispered, and felt his   
forehead press against hers.  
  
"When I made that promise to you...I gave you a kiss to seal that promise.  
Ever since then...I've been aching to kiss you again. To give you a real   
kiss..."  
  
Her heart pounded uncontrollably in her chest as she felt his lips softly  
brush against her own. He kissed her slowly at first, kissing her with soft  
pecks. "I love you, Pan-chan," he whispered, and he gradually deepened his  
kisses, urging her to respond. She felt her body go numb, and the tears in   
her eyes did not stop. How long had she dreamed of this moment? Of the day   
Trunks would tell her he loved her, of the day he would kiss her mindless  
and say that he would never leave her.  
  
She wrapped her arms around him, and desperately began to kiss him back.   
Although it was the first time either of them had been this intimate with  
someone, they seemed to know exactly what to do. His tongue slipped its way  
into her mouth, and he tasted her, groaning as he drank in what he had been  
thirsting for nearly a year.   
  
She felt herself being lowered onto the blanket as their kisses intensified.  
She didn't know how long they kissed before she felt his hands caressing her  
body, and she moaned beneath him, urging him to go further. He kissed her   
neck as his hands worked to free her from her clothing. He pulled her shirt   
over her head, and he kissed his way down her stomach as he unzipped and slid  
off her jeans, leaving her in her bra and underwear. He removed his jacket   
and resumed kissing her lips, and she began to pull off his clothing as well.  
  
"Pan-chan...are you sure you want to do this?" he asked her.  
  
"Yes. I want you more than anything, Trunks. I love you."  
  
Soon, all of their clothing disappeared, and they became one, each crying out  
the other's name in pure ecstasy as they sealed their bond. Their lovemaking  
lasted throughout the night, until they could take no more, their lips clinging   
as they declared their love for each other once more before falling into the   
bliss of sleep.  
  
  
  
  
Well, there it is. The closest thing to a lemon that I will ever write. This   
story is FAR from over, people. I MIGHT have Chapter 7 done by this weekend,  
there's no telling for sure though. And DON'T think that now Trunks is going  
to back off from Mirai Pan, because it ain't happening. ;D Now don't fret, I  
said I wasn't going to make him act out of character so you don't have to worry  
about that. I'm just gonna...ah, you'll see.  
  
Please R&R!  
  
Sincerely,  
Lady S  
  



	9. Dahlia

Mysterious Beauty  
Chapter 7: Dahlia  
By Lady Starra  
Rating: PG-13  
presea94@netscape.net  
See foreword for standard disclaimers.  
  
  
A few notes: From now on, instead of saying 'Planet Dahlia' I am going to   
call it either Dahlia-sei or just Dahlia. It's much easier to type. ^^; Also,   
I have revised the foreword of this story, I've added a few more terms.  
  
  
* * *  
  
The first beams of morning sunlight shone on two sleeping lovers, their   
naked bodies entwined, their hearts beating steadily against each other. The   
birds of the forest began to chirp and sing, causing one of them to stir in   
his sleep. Feeling the soft, slender body in his arms, he smiled, pulling her  
closer to him, kissing the top of her head and stroking her hair.  
  
She stirred, but didn't wake up. He stroked her back as he nuzzled her nose   
with his own, planting a soft kiss on her lips. Kami, she was so beautiful,   
the most precious gift anyone could have given him. Remembering the night   
they shared, his heart filled with love, knowing that now she was his and   
would belong to no other.  
  
"Mmmm..." she murmured as he kissed her lips again, coaxing her to open those  
incredible eyes that he loved to get lost in. Slowly, she complied, her eyes  
fluttering open slowly.  
  
"Good morning, Your Majesty," he said with a smile, caressing her face with   
his fingers, then leaning in for another kiss.  
  
"Hmmm...now this is how I wish I could wake up every morning," she said.  
  
"Pan-chan, I...I didn't hurt you, did I?"  
  
"Oh, no. You could never hurt me, Trunks. Never." She leaned in to kiss him   
again. "So...does this mean I'm yours forever?" she asked, putting her arms   
around him.  
  
"Yes, Pan-chan. You're my mate, forever."  
  
"In that case, when we get home, the first thing I'm going to do...is make   
you my king."  
  
Mirai Trunks paused, realizing what she meant, feeling somewhat shocked.   
"King? Me?" he said in astonishment.  
  
"Of course, you. You're bonded to the queen, aren't you? Besides, your father  
is a prince. It's only fitting that someone like you be my king," she said.  
  
"Me...a king. So, if I become king...does that mean I get to learn magic?"  
  
"Hmm...yes, actually it does. You WILL be considered Dahlian royalty, after   
all. But it may be difficult at first because the magic is easier to learn at  
a young age."  
  
"So, you're saying I'm old?" he joked, reaching out to tickle her side.  
  
"No," she giggled, squirming as he tickled her. "It's just that normally,  
lessons in magic begin when someone is six years old. It takes a normal   
person almost their whole childhood to learn it, so I'm surprised my mother   
is comprehending everything as well as she is. But since you're half   
Saiyajin, you'll probably be able to learn as fast as I did."  
  
"Well, I can't wait." He rolled her on her back and kissed her again, and she  
responded eagerly, and the feelings from the previous night began to stir   
within them again. "I never want to be without you, Pan-chan," he murmured   
in her ear, kissing down her neck. "Never."  
  
"I love you, Trunks," she whispered, and they showed their love for each   
other once again.  
  
* * *  
  
"WHAT!? What do you mean you're going with them?" Bulma said hysterically.   
"What about the company?! You can't just take off for a whole year, Trunks!"  
  
"Well, that's just what I plan on doing, Kaasan. I'm sure there's a way she   
can bring me back as if I never left."  
  
"And if there isn't? Trunks, please don't do this to me! I just retired a   
week ago, and I haven't had a real chance to relax yet!"  
  
"Well, why don't you come as well, Kaasan?" Trunks suggested. Bulma paused.  
  
"Me? Go to Videl's home planet?" she said.  
  
"Sure, why not? Remember when Pan-chan told us that Dahlia-sei's technology   
hasn't completely been restored to what it once was? Maybe you could help   
them out."  
  
"But...what about your father and Bra? We can't just leave them behind for a   
whole year! Unless, of course, they came with us..."  
  
"See, it could be a family thing. I am going to Dahlia-sei no matter what it   
takes, Kaasan."  
  
"Why is it that you want to go so badly, Trunks? You don't have any reason   
to," Bulma said.  
  
"Oh, but I do."  
  
"Are you going because of Mirai Pan?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Trunks, if that's the reason...you had better be extremely careful. Mirai   
Trunks loves her deeply, and I don't think he's going to give her up so   
easily," Bulma told him.  
  
"How can you be certain that he loves her?" Trunks asked.  
  
"Trunks, he may not quite be the same person as you, but in a sense, he IS  
you, and he's still my son. I can read him as well as I can read you, and   
believe me, he loves her," his mother assured him.  
  
"But I love her too. I've never felt this way about anyone, Kaasan. Not ever.  
And just because Mirai Trunks loves her, that doesn't mean that I can ignore  
what I'm feeling. I at least have to tell her what I feel, she deserves to   
know that much. Mirai Trunks is going with her to Dahlia-sei, and if I wait   
until they come back it may be too late. If I go with them, at least I might   
have chance."  
  
"Trunks..."  
  
"Kaasan, I am leaving now to go ask her if I can come along. So tell me now,   
do you want to go or don't you?"  
  
* * *  
  
When she woke a second time, Mirai Pan jolted upwards, noting that dawn had  
passed and it had been morning for quite some time.   
  
"What is it?" Mirai Trunks asked her as he woke slowly.  
  
"Oh, no...Trunks, what time is it?!"  
  
He grabbed his watch off of his pile of clothes. "It's nine o'clock."  
  
"Agghh! I'm late! We're supposed to start training right after breakfast!"   
she panicked as she frantically began to search for her clothes.  
  
"Wait, Pan-chan, calm down," he said as he embraced her, pulling her back   
down beside him. "You don't need to rush."  
  
"Trunks, I'm late! I..."  
  
"Your family isn't waiting for you. Trust me," he said with a Vegeta-like   
grin.  
  
"Oh? And how would you know?" she asked as she grinned back.  
  
"I just...know." He kissed her lips, held her tighter to him and kissed her   
neck. He attempted to go lower, but to his disappointment, she stopped him.  
  
"Trunks...I'm exhausted!" she told him, squirming out of his hold. "Not only  
that, but all of this...excitement has really made me hungry. I doubt there's  
any food left in those picnic baskets."  
  
He sighed. "All right. I suppose we can go back now. I wouldn't mind eating   
some breakfast myself. Although...you are not to train today, Pan-chan. For  
today, you're mine. All mine."  
  
"Hmm, I suppose I don't have choice, do I?" she asked.  
  
"Honestly, my love, do you really think you could train right now anyway?   
You're too 'exhausted' to even make love anymore, let alone train, which   
requires even more stamina..."  
  
"Heh! Not with YOU as a lover. I'm surprised you let me sleep at all. I can't  
imagine what it's going to be like once we're married," she said as she began  
putting her clothes back on.  
  
"Oh, just you wait, my sweet. Once we're husband and wife, things will only   
get better."  
  
* * *  
  
"Hey...why didn't anyone wake me up?" a young Pan asked as she walked down   
the stairs. Normally, her mother would get her up at daybreak so they could  
train. She'd woken up to the smell of food, but it was after nine o'clock.   
Her grandmother usually had breakfast ready much earlier.  
  
"We're taking a day off today, sweetheart," Videl said as she sat at the   
table.  
  
"A day off? How come?"  
  
Just then, Mirai Trunks and Mirai Pan walked into the house.   
  
"Ohayo," Mirai Trunks greeted.  
  
"Hey, kids. Have a good time?" Chichi asked them.  
  
"Hai, Obaasan, but we're absolutely starving," Mirai Pan said.  
  
"Well, breakfast is ready. Come, both of you sit down."  
  
"You...you're just now coming back from your date?" Pan asked in disbelief.  
  
"We...sort of fell asleep," Mirai Pan said innocently.  
  
"Uh-huh. I'm sure you did," Gohan said as he gave his daughter a knowing   
smile. Mirai Pan felt a blush stain her cheeks.  
  
"Eh...I'm sorry, Tousan..."  
  
"It's all right, Pan-chan. You don't need to apologize. I understand." He   
gave her another smile before sitting next to his wife at the dining table.  
Mirai Pan looked up at the man she loved, who only winked at her as they   
joined everyone else at the table.   
  
'Oh, man,' Goten thought as he took in what had obviously happened. 'Trunks   
IS NOT going to like this turn of events at all. I know I'M not going to be  
the one to tell him...'   
  
Goten's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing.  
  
"I'll get it!" Young Pan sprang out of her seat and opened the door.  
  
"Trunks! Ohayo!"  
  
"Ohayo, Pan-chan." Everyone was surprised to see Trunks walk in.  
  
"Hello, Trunks! Shouldn't you be at work?" Goku asked.  
  
"Hello, everyone. I took the morning off. I hope I'm not intruding," he said.  
  
"Not at all. Why don't you sit and have some breakfast with us?" Gohan said.  
  
"Thank you, but I've already eaten. But I would like to sit down, if you   
don't mind."  
  
"Is something wrong, Trunks?" Gohan asked.  
  
"No, nothing's wrong. It's just...I came to ask Mirai Pan a favor," he said.  
  
Mirai Pan looked at him, curious as to what he could possibly want. Mirai   
Trunks gave him an odd look, but he ignored it and continued.  
  
"My family and I would like to accompany you to Dahlia-sei," he said simply.  
  
She was stunned. "Why?"  
  
"Call it...curiousity. Besides, we could all really use a vacation," Trunks   
told her.  
  
"But Trunks...we'll be gone for a whole year!"  
  
"Yes, which brings me to my next point. Will you be able to return us as if  
we'd never left? Because if not, I don't think my family will want to go, but  
I would still like to."  
  
"Return you the same day you left? Well, I suppose that would be easy enough,  
after all that is how I plan to return home. But are you sure you want to do  
this?"  
  
"My mother was thinking perhaps she could help out some of your scientists   
there. And Bra-chan always talks about wanting to see the marketplaces on   
your planet...although, don't ask me how she knows about them," Trunks said.  
  
"Eh...hee hee," Young Pan said silently, blushing. She was always getting her  
older self to tell her about Dahlia-sei, and then she would go and brag about   
it to Bra.  
  
"As for myself," Trunks went on, "It's been forever since I've had a real   
vacation, and I'm rather curious to find out what it's like there."  
  
"I know!" Goku said, snapping his fingers. "Why don't the rest of us go   
too?"   
  
Everyone looked at him with wide eyes. "ALL of us?" Chichi asked.  
  
"Sure! It could be a family thing! And if we can return the same day we left,  
then it shouldn't interfere with any of our lives," Goku said.  
  
"I wanted to ask if Gohan could go along anyway. I don't know what I'd do   
being away from my husband for so long," Videl said.  
  
"If everyone else is going, I wanna go, too," Goten added.   
  
"Well, then that settles it! We'll all go as a family!" Goku finished.  
  
Mirai Pan was silent. At first, the thought of EVERYONE going seemed rather   
odd. Then, she thought of the possibilities. 'Bulma-san WOULD be a great help   
to Maia and the other scientists. And if everyone stays for the whole enitre  
year...surely, Trunks and I will be married by then. Maybe I can still have   
the wedding I've always wanted, with my entire family there, and Tousan   
walking me down the aisle...'  
  
Finally, she smiled. "Hai. We'll all go."  
  
* * *  
  
That following week was quite a busy one. Mirai Pan, Videl and Young Pan   
trained day and night, because Mirai Pan wanted to be sure they would be   
prepared for their training with Lutz. Because they were training more than  
they usually were, she hardly even saw Mirai Trunks that week. He too kept   
busy by training, and they had greatly missed each other's company that week.  
Mirai Pan promised to herself that she would make it up to him once they   
arrived on Dahlia.  
  
Before they knew it, the day of departure had come. Everyone met at the Son  
residence for breakfast, and after that, they went outside.  
  
"I need everyone to move in closer together and join hands, to make a   
circle," she said, and they obeyed. She stood in the center of the circle,   
and lifted her arms in the air as a beam of light appeared in her hands.  
  
"Sphere Barrier!"  
  
Everyone was stunned as a bright light flashed suddenly, and they were   
all encased in a magic bubble.  
  
"Hey...cool!" Goten commented.  
  
"We have to travel inside this sphere, otherwise we will more than likely get  
separated in the time void," Mirai Pan told them. She got in between both   
Trunks and took each of their hands. "Everyone join hands again." Again, they  
complied. "All right minna, please listen. Since there are so many of us,   
this is going to take a lot of energy. I am going to need all of you to raise   
your ki as much as you can," Mirai Pan told them.  
  
"You can count on us, Pan-chan," Goku said. Nodding, Mirai Pan closed her   
eyes and began.  
  
"O, great powers of Mystoke, I call upon thee once more, in the name of   
Dahlia-sei," she chanted, as everyone began to raise their ki and the pendant  
began to glow. "Lead us, once again, to our destiny. Guide us, once again, to   
our path." The pendant's aura grew even stronger and soon enveloped the   
entire sphere. "Fate...take us to Dahlia-sei!"  
  
* * *  
  
A majestic waterfall spilled over a rocky cliff, pouring into a crystal-clear  
lagoon just below it. Lush, green trees and grass surrounded the area, and   
the scent of sweet flowers filled the air. All was quiet, until a bright   
light flashed in the sky above, and a somewhat large group of people enclosed  
in a magic barrier descended to the ground.  
  
When the bubble around them faded, they remained still at first. Mirai Pan   
opened her eyes, taking in the atmosphere around her. She looked over at the  
huge waterfall and smiled. She knew just where they were.  
  
"We made it," she said.  
  
Everyone looked at the beautiful scenery around them. The air was so clean   
and fresh, and everything around them was just beautiful.  
  
"Where are we, exactly?" Bulma asked.  
  
"This is part of what's called the Cille Islands. I come to this spot a lot   
whenever I need to think or be alone," Mirai Pan told them.  
  
"Well, we're here. Now what to we do?" Videl asked.  
  
"First, I need all of you to stay here for a little while. I have to go back   
to the palace by myself."  
  
"How come?" asked Mirai Trunks.  
  
"I should prepare them for this. Keep in mind, that Bra-chan's and Uncle   
Goten's future selves are here too. I don't know how they would take it if   
they just saw all of you without an explanation, since you're all supposed to  
be dead," Mirai Pan said.  
  
"Good point," Trunks said.  
  
"Hey, cool! I get to see how I'm gonna look when I'm older!" Bra said   
excitedly. "NOW we'll see who's prettier, Pan-chan!"  
  
"Humph! Even if you are, I'm STILL the queen!" Young Pan stuck her tongue out   
at Bra and made a taunting noise.  
  
"Come on, you two. Knock it off," Videl warned.  
  
"Anyway, you go ahead, Pan. We can set up a capsule house and have something  
to eat while we wait for you," Bulma said.  
  
"All right. I'll be back as soon as I can. And please, lower your ki. I don't   
want to alarm anyone." With that, she used her teleportation technique, and   
was off.  
  
* * *  
  
Goten and Bra halted their training session with the captain of the gurad and   
his wife as they felt the presence of a familiar ki. They all looked at each   
other in surprise.  
  
"Could it be...?" Kara asked.  
  
"Pan-chan! She's back!" Goten cried, and he and the others sped off from the   
training grounds to the palace.   
  
"LUTZ!" Bra called out when they entered the palace. Lutz and Aron were  
running down the palace's huge stairway, for they had also felt Pan's ki   
return to the planet.  
  
"She made it back! I told you she would!" Goten said.  
  
"She's not in the palace, though. Where is she?" Bra wondered alound.  
  
Just then, the queen of Dahlia appeared before them, smiling as she saw her  
friends waiting for her.  
  
"Pan-chan!" Goten and Bra cried as they ran up to hug her. Lutz, Crys and   
Kara bowed before their queen.  
  
"Welcome back, Your Majesty," Kara greeted.  
  
"Kara, don't make me beat you up my first day back. You know you don't have  
to use such formalities when you speak to me," Pan said.  
  
"Yeah, well, I just can't help it. It takes my mind off of wanting to beat   
you to a bloody pulp for just taking off like you did and not saying where   
you were going," the dark-haired warrior shot back.  
  
"Yes, you had us all worried sick, Your Majesty," Aron said. "According to  
Lutz, you were hurt quite badly. You should have at least come back so you  
could get healed."  
  
"Believe me, everything turned out for the best," she assured them, giving  
them a radiant smile that both Bra and Goten were very surprised to see. Ever  
since their families died, she had always been so melancholy, and she rarely  
ever smiled. Now, she seemed different. Her face radiated happiness, and they  
could practically feel all the of joy that was in her heart. It seemed that   
whatever happened HAD been for the best.  
  
"Minna...there's something I need to tell you, and we had better go somewhere  
and sit down, because this is going to be quite an interesting story."  
  
* * *  
  
"You met Mirai Trunks?!"  
  
"And you went back to train your younger self?"  
  
"And...THEY'RE ALL HERE?!?!"  
  
Mirai Pan didn't know how long she had been explaining things to everyone,   
she had been interrupted quite a few times with everyone's shocked responses.  
  
"Pan-chan...are you saying that my parents, and my brother, and even ME...are   
HERE? NOW?" Bra said.  
  
"Yes, TWO brothers, in fact. Trunks and Mirai Trunks both. It wasn't my   
original plan to bring everyone. I was only going to bring my mother and my   
younger self so they could do their special training, and Mirai Trunks was   
going to come too. Then, everybody else said they wanted to go, so...it just  
sort of worked out that way," Pan explained.  
  
"I'll believe it when I see it," Goten said.  
  
"Well then, believe it, Uncle Goten, because I'm going back to fetch them  
right now. Wait for us in the Garden Meadow."  
  
* * *  
  
Meanwhile, everyone back at the waterfall was either swimming in the lagoon  
or sitting outside playing cards. The scenery around them was just too  
beautiful for them to stay inside the capsule house. However, a separate   
conversation was going on between Trunks and Mirai Trunks.  
  
"Are you in love with Pan?" Trunks asked him straight out.  
  
"Why do you ask?"   
  
"Don't try to ignore the question. Just answer it."  
  
"Well, if you must know...yes," Mirai Trunks told him. "And I also know that  
you love her too."  
  
"Maybe I do."  
  
"But you don't love her like I do. I don't think you can even come close to  
comprehending the love I have for her. Before you go trying to pursue her, I  
should tell you that she returns my feelings."  
  
Trunks was silent. He had been afraid of this. But nothing was set in stone  
yet...or so he thought.  
  
"You have no right to assume what I feel and what I don't feel. I have just   
as much of a chance with her as you do."  
  
'The poor guy. He doesn't realize that Pan-chan and I have bonded. Should I  
tell him?' Mirai Trunks wondered.  
  
Before another word could be said, Mirai Pan was back. Everyone quickly   
rushed over to her.  
  
"Well?" Videl said.  
  
"They seemed to take everything pretty well. They're shocked, of course, but  
very eager to see all of you." She paused as she looked around. "Well, I can  
see you've been enjoying the water."  
  
"Yeah, it's great!" Pan said as she and Bra climbed out.  
  
"Well, wait until you see the palace pool. You all had better dry off." With   
a snap of her fingers, Mirai Pan used her magic and everyone that had been  
swimming was suddenly in dry clothes.  
  
"Hey! How come I haven't learned that trick yet?" Videl questioned.  
  
"Basics first, Kaasan. But right now, I have to take you all back to the   
palace."  
  
They joined hands again, and in an instant, they were all transported to the  
palace gardens where Mirai Goten, Mirai Bra, Lutz, Crys, Kara, and Aron   
awaited them.  
  
From the far side of the garden, Mirai Bra and Mirai Goten (AN: There are a   
lot of Mirai's now!) just stared in disbelief. Mirai Goten found himself   
staring right into the face of his younger self, while Bra's eyes were fixed   
on her brother...or rather, brothers. Her vision blurred due to the tears in   
her eyes, when she finally noticed her parents standing there as well.  
  
"Tousan...Kaasan...Oniichan," she said. "Oniichan...ONIICHAN!" Without   
another thought, she ran towards the group, heading straight for Mirai   
Trunks. The younger Goten was stunned as he watched the most beautiful girl   
he'd ever seen run up to Mirai Trunks and embrace him tightly, crying as she   
called him "Oniichan."  
  
'Oniichan?! Then that means...that's BRA?!' his mind cried out.  
  
"B...Bra-chan?" Mirai Trunks said, thinking that was who she had to be.   
Trunks, Bulma, and Vegeta were at a loss for words as well, surprised to   
suddenly see their little girl as a young woman.  
  
'Now I know how Videl and Gohan must feel,' Bulma thought, and then beamed   
with pride. 'Hmm, I knew she would look just like me when she grew up.'  
  
"Oniichan...this isn't a dream. This is real, isn't it?" the older Bra asked  
as she clung to Mirai Trunks.  
  
"H-Hai," Mirai Trunks said a little nervously.  
  
"Bra-chan, just look at you. I can't believe my little sister is so grown   
up," the other Trunks said. She then hugged him as well.  
  
"I can't believe this. I have two brothers. I've really missed you,   
Oniichan."  
  
"And what about us?" Bulma asked as she and Vegeta stood there, waiting to be  
acknowledged.  
  
Smiling, she got out of her brother's embrace and hugged both of her parents  
at once. "Kaasan. Tousan."  
  
Then, everyone noticed the younger Bra looking up at her older form in   
complete astonishment. "That's me...wow, I look just like you, Kaasan!" she   
said.  
  
Mirai Bra finally looked down at her younger self in surprise. Now everything  
REALLY felt weird. Mirai Goten walked towards them then, finally taking in   
the sight of his own family and his other self as well.  
  
Goten looked at Mirai Goten. 'Hmm, I haven't changed all that much. I'm still  
wearing my hair the same, too. Those clothes I'm wearing are something else.   
They're kinda cool though...I sorta look like a prince!' Goten thought.  
  
"It's been...so long," Mirai Goten finally said.  
  
"Hello, Goten-kun. You're looking very handsome," Chichi complimented.  
  
Mirai Pan smiled as she saw the heartwarming reunion between her family and   
friends. Then suddenly, she heard two familiar voices behind her.  
  
"Okaasama! Okaasama!"  
  
She turned to see her two beloved pets running towards her. "My babies!"  
Her heart filled with joy as she knelt on the ground and hugged the large  
white cats. "Yuki! Tenka, I've missed you so much!"  
  
"Okaasama, you're all right! We were worried we'd never see you again!" the  
female cat said as they purred and Mirai Pan rubbed them behind their ears.  
  
"Are these your pets you were telling me about, Pan-chan?" Mirai Trunks  
asked as he knelt down to pet one of them.  
  
"Hai. Meet Yuki and Tenka." It wasn't long before the entire group came to   
admire the two beautiful cats.  
  
"They're adorable!" Young Pan said as she pet Tenka softly. The cat sniffed   
the girl's hand.  
  
"Okaasama, she has the same scent as you," Tenka said.  
  
"Okaasama? Is that what they call you?" Mirai Trunks asked.  
  
"They've called me that ever since they were cubs. And I feel like a mother   
to them."  
  
"Speaking of cubs," Mirai Bra said, walking over to the cats.  
  
"No, Bra-chan, let Yuki tell her," Mirai Goten said.  
  
The queen of Dahlia was confused. "Tell me what?"  
  
"Okaasama," Yuki began, "I'm going to have cubs!"  
  
Mirai Pan gasped, happiness washing over her features as she embraced her   
pets again. "Oh, Yuki, Tenka, I'm so glad! This is wonderful news to come   
home to!" She then stood up, addressing her royal advisor. "Aron, we're going   
to have a big celebration tonight. Get every available chef in the area to   
make the largest feast they possibly can, enough to feed a dozen Saiyajins,   
and more."  
  
Aron bowed. "As you wish, Your Majesty."  
  
* * *  
  
The people of Dahlia-sei were overjoyed to have their queen back. Although  
Mirai Pan had attempted to come back to the planet as though she'd never  
left, she learned that she had been gone more than a month. That had only   
been her third time using the pendant, and although she was getting better  
each time she used it, she wasn't able to fully control it yet. She only   
hoped that she could get it right when she returned everyone home.  
  
Word got out all over Dahlia City about the feast that was going to be held  
at the palace. The queen ordered her guests to be given the finest attire to  
wear, so all afternoon the finest tailors and seamstresses were at the   
palace, fussing over the queen's honored guests. The clothes of Dahlia were  
beautiful, yet simple, and the women especially adored the unique gowns they   
would be wearing that evening.  
  
Meanwhile, the queen had called a meeting with Lutz and the members of the   
Royal Council, as well as her uncle and Bra, to discuss an important matter   
with them.  
  
"I've called everyone here because of an important decision I've made," she  
began. "By now you've all heard about Mirai Trunks. Well, in his world, the  
Earth is dying. They've tried everything to restore their resources, but they  
cannot. If they don't find a new planet to live on soon, all of the people   
there will perish. So, I have decided to let those remaining inhabitants of   
Earth come to Dahlia."  
  
There was silent chatter among the council, and Aron, Lutz, Bra and Goten   
just looked at her in surprise.  
  
"Your Majesty, are you certain about this? I mean, outsiders, coming to live  
on Dahlia?" one council member asked.  
  
"What of it? Look at my uncle and Bra-chan. They have no Dahlian blood but   
they have lived on this planet and served its people faithfully. In Mirai   
Trunks' world there are roughly only 1,500 people left, which will still make  
our population much lower than it once was. Also, I believe that it is fate  
that we bring them here," Mirai Pan told them.  
  
"Fate? How can you be sure, Majesty?" Aron asked.  
  
"Because...Mirai Trunks and I...love each other."  
  
Silence filled the room, and her uncle and best friend looked at her in   
shock. "Not only do we love each other, but our Saiyajin blood has caused us  
to bond, and when Saiyajins bond, it's for life. If Trunks and I were to be  
separated, it could result in a life of loneliness, even death."  
  
Lutz and the council, who did not know this, gasped at this new information.  
The last thing they wanted was the death of their queen. There was more   
silence until Aron spoke up.  
  
"We would not wish for that to happen to you, Your Majesty," he said.   
Nodding, she said her final say.  
  
"When the people of his time are transported here and they are made citizens  
of Dahlia...I will announce to the entire planet that Trunks will reign as   
king by my side."  
  
* * *  
  
"Oh, Vegeta! Would you look at this room? It's so beautiful!"   
  
Bulma pranced excitedly around the bedchamber given to her and Vegeta, noting  
the beautiful designs, the large bed, and the exquisite bathroom that looked   
like it was made of crystal.  
  
"This is going to be the best vacation we've ever had. And can you believe   
how beautiful our daughter is going to be?" Before Vegeta had the chance to  
respond, they heard a knock at their door. "Who could that be?" Bulma said,  
and when she opened the door, she was surprised to see Mirai Goten standing  
there.  
  
"Goten-kun?" Bulma said.  
  
"Hello, Bulma-san, Vegeta-san. I...came to see if I could speak to you about  
something very important," he said.  
  
"Oh...of course, Goten-kun. Please, do come in."  
  
Mirai Goten entered the room nervously, and Bulma closed the door as he began  
to speak.  
  
"So, what's this all about, boy?" Vegeta asked.  
  
"I...I don't know how to say this. It's about Bra-chan."  
  
"What about her? Is something wrong, has something happened?" Bulma asked.  
  
"No, nothing like that. It's a little...complicated." He took a deep breath.  
"In these last several years...Bra-chan and I have become very close. When   
you died, it had a huge effect on her, and Pan-chan was the same way. But we  
still had each other, and we helped each other heal, and we've been there for  
each other. And in that time...I've come to care for her a great deal."  
  
Vegeta was silent. He wasn't sure he liked where this was going.  
  
"It was only when Pan left for the final battle with Zio...that I realized I  
was in love with Bra-chan."  
  
"Goten-kun..." Bulma said in surprise.  
  
"I told myself that when Pan came back...I would ask Bra-chan to marry me.   
But now that you, her parents, are here...I wouldn't feel right...if I didn't   
have your consent." He paused and looked at Vegeta and Bulma. "So, that's why  
I'm here. I would like your permission for your daughter's hand in marriage."  
  
Vegeta looked at Mirai Goten, studying him thoroughly for the first time. He  
was nothing like the Son Goten he was used to seeing. This Goten carried   
himself differently, he had a demeanor about him that seemed more mature and   
regal. And he was stronger, much stronger than his other self. It was true,   
he had indeed changed a lot when he came to live on Dahlia-sei. Because he   
was the uncle of the queen, he was highly respected, admired, and looked up   
to, practically considered royalty himself. Everything he had been through in  
his life had caused him to lose his childish facade and become a real man, a   
man of responsiblity and integrity. And Vegeta could see this.  
  
"You've grown a lot for the better, boy. I can see that. Tell me...does she   
return your feelings?" Vegeta asked.  
  
He nodded. "She does. I also know that she's loved me all her life. Because   
she was so much younger than me, I never gave her a second glance. But I   
think we were meant to be all along. I want to spend the rest of my life with  
her, and give her the family she deserves."  
  
Bulma looked at her husband, smiling, and he nodded.  
  
"Very well, boy. You have our blessing."  
  
* * *  
  
Dusk came, and the palace celebration began. Everyone rejoiced at the return   
of their beloved queen, and warmly welcomed her guests, especially her  
"mother" who was considered royalty as well. Mountains of food were on every  
table, and though the food on Dahlia was somewhat different, it was the most   
delicious thing that any of the earthlings had ever tasted.  
  
From where he was seated, Trunks looked at Mirai Pan and became mesmerized by  
her beauty yet again. She was dressed in a purple gown, her hair beautifully  
curled and braided, with a beautiful jeweled crown on her head. Whenever he   
didn't think she could be any more breathtaking, he was always proven wrong.  
He looked at Mirai Trunks who sat next to her, finely dressed in blue,   
talking with her and holding her hand.  
  
'I need to tell her tonight,' Trunks said to himself. 'I can't waste any more   
time.'  
  
  
  
  
What will happen between Trunks and Mirai Pan? How is Mirai Goten going to   
propose? And what's this...the other Goten is jealous? It's all in the next   
chapter!  
  
  



	10. Battle of Emotions

Mysterious Beauty  
Chapter 8: Battle of Emotions  
By Lady Starra  
Rating: PG-13  
presea94@netscape.net  
See foreword for standard disclaimers.  
  
* * *  
  
Goten looked across the room at an aqua-haired beauty, dressed in a gorgeous  
blue gown, sitting and talking with the parents she hadn't seen in seven   
years. He couldn't get over it. The little girl he knew for so long was   
sitting before him as a woman.  
  
The people there had started to dance not too long ago. Goten wondered if he   
should ask Mirai Bra to dance. 'No way,' a voice in his head told him.   
'Vegeta would kill me!' However, before he could reconsider asking her   
anyway, another person beat him to it...namely, himself.  
  
Mirai Goten took Mirai Bra's hand as they joined the other dancers. Goten   
looked at Bulma and Vegeta for their reaction. Bulma was smiling, and Vegeta,  
surprisingly, seemed content and okay with it. Goten didn't think a person   
could be jealous of their own self, but, watching Mirai Bra and Mirai Goten  
together...  
  
Goten was beginning to understand how Trunks had been feeling all this time.   
Although he was attracted and captivated by Bra's future self, he didn't   
know if he could say that he was in love with her, like Trunks was with Mirai  
Pan. Or so he claimed, anyway.  
  
Meanwhile, Trunks was standing in the corner of the ballrom, watching Mirai   
Trunks and Mirai Pan as they danced. 'How am I supposed to talk with her if  
HE'S going to be around her every minute?' he asked himself. Well, he would   
just have to fix that.  
  
As he walked across the ballroom, Trunks was admired by many of the Dahlian   
women, but he paid them no mind, for he only had eyes for one. He approached  
the pair, tapping the girl on the shoulder.  
  
She stopped and turned to look at him. "May I cut in?" he asked. She gave him   
a surprised look, which followed with her partner's annoyed response, "No,   
you may not."  
  
"I just want to dance with her for one song. She's my friend too, you know."  
  
"It's all right," she said, looking to Mirai Trunks.  
  
Sighing, he gave in. "All right. Just don't keep me waiting too long." He   
smiled and kissed her on the cheek, then glanced at his other self in   
annoyance once more before stepping away.  
  
"You look lovely," Trunks complimented.  
  
"Thank you," she said, trying not to blush.  
  
"Listen, Pan-chan...there's something I really need to speak with you about...alone. Do you think we can talk after the party?"  
  
'He looks so serious. It must be really important,' she thought.   
  
"It's crucial that we talk in private," he added.  
  
"All right. I'll meet you at the gazebo in the garden afterwards."  
  
* * *  
  
All Goten did that evening was watch his other self dance with Mirai Bra.   
He'd seen Trunks cut in on Mirai Trunks while he danced with Pan, and because  
of the expression on Mirai Trunks' face, Goten didn't want to risk doing the   
same to Mirai Goten. He didn't want any tension between him and his other   
self, especially since the latter of them was much stronger.  
  
He kept his eyes on them as they began to slip through the crowd of people   
and make their way out one of the side doors. Not able to stifle his   
curiousity, he followed them outside, and into the garden as quietly as he  
could. They walked to a large tree with a garden bench under it, and from   
where they sat, all of the stars in the Alisa Solar System were visible.   
Goten hid behind a nearby tree and listened.  
  
"What's so secret that you have to bring me all the way out here, Goten?" he  
heard her ask.  
  
"Well...you know me, I like my quiet time with you," was the reply. "But   
there IS a reason I brought you here, Bra-chan."  
  
"Why do I get the feeling this is going to be different than our normal   
discussions?"  
  
"Because it is. Bra-chan...well, you know that I love you, don't you?"  
  
"Of course I know, Goten."  
  
"And I know that you love me."  
  
"With all my heart, Goten. Ever since I was a little girl."  
  
The hidden blackhaired figure felt his heart sink in his chest. So that was   
it. They loved each other. He didn't want to listen anymore, but he was too  
dumbstruck to walk away.  
  
"And I know we've been through so much together, Bra-chan. If I'd had the   
strength...I would have killed Zio for even daring to hurt you."  
  
"Goten, please," she said, stroking his face with her fingers. "Don't dwell   
on the past. It's over now, and you can't change anything. I have you, and   
Pan-chan, and that's all I need."  
  
"And a family, perhaps?"  
  
"You are my family."  
  
Mirai Goten sighed. This was much harder than he thought it would be.  
  
"I can give you more of a family, Bra-chan."  
  
"Goten...what do you mean?"  
  
He knelt before her on one knee, and pulled out a gold and diamond ring from  
his pocket.  
  
"Bra Briefs-Vegeta...would you do me the honor...of becoming my wife?"  
  
She gasped, tears quickly flooding her eyes. She looked down at the ring.  
  
"Goten...where did you get that ring? They don't have diamonds on this   
planet."  
  
"It was my kaasan's wedding ring."  
  
"Oh...Goten..."  
  
"So, will you, Bra-chan? Will you marry me?"  
  
Choking back a sob, she smiled, and leaned forward to kiss him on the lips.  
Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her heart swelled with joy and happiness.  
  
"Is...that a yes?" he asked when the kiss broke.  
  
"Yes. Yes, Son Goten, I want to marry you more than anything."  
  
They shared another kiss, and their eavesdropper slowly slipped away, wishing   
he hadn't heard what he just did. He tried to regain his composure.  
  
'Hang on a second, Goten! Why are you getting all heartbroken and jealous?   
You met her less than twenty-four hours ago and you're pining over her   
because she can't love you? Well...she DOES love you, but not really...'  
  
He sighed. He thought again about Trunks' feelings for Mirai Pan, and how   
there was no way she could return his feelings. It was so unreal. He didn't   
think it would happen to him too. Goten decided to go for a walk around the   
gardens. If anything, it would help him clear his mind and think things out.  
  
* * *  
  
He turned around at the sound of footsteps, and saw her beautiful form   
walking towards him. His breath stopped as he caught sight of the Dahlian  
moonlight cascading over her features, making her look like some mythological  
goddess. Somehow, he found his ability to speak.  
  
"Thank you...for talking with me, Pan-chan."  
  
"Is something wrong, Trunks? You made it sound like you had some sort of   
crisis on your hands."  
  
"Well...sort of. Can...can I ask you something?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"I don't want to bring back any bad memories or anything, but...what was it   
like...I mean, how did it feel...when I died?" he asked.  
  
Shocked at his question, she only stood silent for a moment. "It was painful.  
Very, very painful. And to tell you the truth...you wouldn't have died if it  
hadn't been for me."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
She turned her back to him as she felt the tears coming. That day...was still  
so vivid and fresh in her mind. Since she had been with Mirai Trunks, she had  
been able to forget about it, the worst memory of her life. But now...  
  
"You...were protecting me. Zio threw one of his magic blasts at me, but you   
got in front of me and it hit you instead." He could now hear the brokenness   
in her voice. "You see...I should have been the one to die, not you. It was   
my fault."  
  
"Oh, no...Pan-chan." He turned her to face him, and she was now sobbing   
freely. He took her into a comforting embrace and whispered in her ear. "I'm  
sorry. I didn't want you to relive that. Please, don't blame yourself, Pan.   
Knowing me, it was probably something I would've done no matter what anybody  
said." He lifted her chin and gazed into her tear-streaked face. "Please,   
don't cry," he whispered, and gently wiped the tears away.  
  
'So soft,' he thought as his thumb caressed her cheek. She was so close to  
him, and her scent began to overwhelm him. He cupped the side of her face   
with his hand, losing all coherent thought as he drew closer...  
  
Then, to her sudden shock and disbelief, his lips were suddenly on her own.  
  
She froze in his arms, eyes wide, too stunned to react or pull away. His next   
words were almost too much for her to bear.  
  
"Pan...I love you."  
  
"T-Trunks..."  
  
His lips were pressed to hers again, and his grip on her tightened. No, she   
thought. This wasn't happening. Surely, both Trunks couldn't be in love with   
her! It wasn't until he deepened the kiss, and she felt the onslaught of his   
tongue in her mouth, that she was able to come out of her state of shock and   
back to reality. She couldn't do this...she already had another.  
  
Abruptly, she broke the kiss. "Trunks...please. I can't. I...I love Mirai   
Trunks. I..."  
  
"Please," he breathed against her lips. "Please, don't say it..."  
  
"Trunks..."  
  
He cut her off with another kiss. As soon as he had kissed her the first   
time, he didn't want to let go. He loved and wanted her so much...he couldn't  
bear to hear her say the words he dreaded...that she didn't love him back.  
  
She pulled away from him again. "Trunks...I'm sorry. But the love I share   
with Mirai Trunks...is so much deeper than you could possibly understand."   
She had to get her point across, so that he would know there could never be   
anything between them. "I've bonded with him, Trunks. He's my lifemate, my  
destiny...my everything. We've bonded in the Saiyajin way and we can't be  
kept apart. Earth in his world is dying, and becoming unlivable. He, and the  
remaining survivors are going to be living here on Dahlia-sei."  
  
"But Pan...you were in love with me first. You had to be. You did love me,  
didn't you?"   
  
"Trunks, that part of my life...is gone. It's gone, and I can't get it back.  
You have your own life to live back in your world, Trunks. You have a destiny   
to fulfill there," she told him.  
  
"No...this isn't fair. It isn't fair that I've fallen in love with you...and   
now, all I can do is forget about you," he said sadly.  
  
"No, Trunks. You don't have to forget about me. You'll still have me, just a  
much younger version is all."  
  
"Still. I won't be able to look at Little Pan anymore without seeing your   
face there. From the day you came into our lives, all she's wanted is to be  
like you. And I see more of you in her every day."  
  
"And she adores you. I know that, because I adored the Trunks in my world   
too. I adored him all my life. But like I said before...he's gone. You, on  
the other hand, are not. You can be there for her, and you can love her."  
  
"She's still a child. She's so much younger than..."  
  
"She won't be a child forever. Love has no limits, Trunks. It's a lesson I've  
come to learn rather well, and is so true in my relationship with Mirai   
Trunks. I...I'm sorry I can't return your feelings." She hugged him, then   
looked up at him. "If you truly are in love with Son Pan...wait for her."  
  
She gave him a small peck on the cheek before leaving the gazebo, running   
back to the palace.  
  
Trunks sat on one of the benches in the gazebo, burying his head in his   
hands. 'Oh, Pan-chan. You may be bonded to him...but it doesn't change the  
fact that I love you.' He then thought about the younger Pan. 'And after   
this...I don't know if I can bear to fall in love with you again.'  
  
* * *  
  
Goten didn't know how long he had been walking. It seemed like hours, and   
although it was late, he knew if he tried to go to bed he wouldn't be able to   
sleep anyway.  
  
As he walked, he came upon the gazebo. He was surprsised to see a person   
sitting there, with a very familiar mop of purple hair.   
  
"Trunks?"  
  
He looked up at him, startled.  
  
"Goten?"  
  
"What's the matter with you? You look terrible."  
  
"I...finally told her...that I love her."  
  
Goten sighed. He saw this one coming. "I take it the feelings aren't mutual?"  
  
"She loves Mirai Trunks. She's BONDED with him, if you can believe that,"   
Trunks told him.  
  
"Bonded? Like, bonded the Saiyajin way?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Wow." Then, Goten had an outrageous thought. 'Maybe...could Mirai Bra and my  
other self...be bonded as well? If that's the case, then I REALLY don't stand   
a chance.'  
  
"Come on, Trunks. I think you've been moping long enough. Let's go back."  
  
* * *  
  
She quickly made her way through the palace to her elaborate suite of rooms.   
She stepped in, quickly locking the door behind her.  
  
"Well, I was beginning to wonder when you'd show up."  
  
Startled, she saw a familiar figure standing in the moonlight, waiting for   
her.  
  
"Don't do that. I've had quite enough surprises for one evening, thank you."  
  
"So, did you let him down easy?"  
  
"I take it you knew all along what he was going to say to me?"  
  
He smirked. "Didn't have a clue."  
  
"Uh-huh. Well, the whole thing was a shocker, that's for sure."  
  
"Is he gonna live?"  
  
"He was pretty heartbroken...but I think he'll be okay."  
  
He stepped closer to her and wrapped her in his embrace.  
  
"You're all tense."  
  
"Can you blame me?"  
  
"Well, it seems he DID get you pretty riled up. You never get like this when   
I kiss you."  
  
Oh, boy.  
  
"And HOW did you know that he kissed me?"  
  
"My darling, I'm your mate. You always seem to forget that I can read your   
thoughts."  
  
"How careless of me. Tell me, my love...do you know what I'm thinking right now?"  
  
Smiling, he found the laces at the back of her gown and tugged at them.  
  
"I'm getting a general idea," he said, kissing his way up her neck, and   
finally finding her lips. "So...tell me this. Who's the better kisser?"  
  
"Well...that's a little hard to say. I mean, you both sort of taste the same,  
and..."  
  
"Wrong answer, my sweet." He kissed her full on the lips, deepening it   
gradually, tasting her hungrily. Breaking the kiss, he spoke. "So, what is it  
you were saying...my love?"  
  
"Hmm. You're definitely the better kisser. Definitely."  
  
And with that, another kiss led to a night of endless, passionate bliss.  
  
  
  
  
I know, I know. That was much shorter than the other chapters, but even   
still...I think this is the best one yet. For those of you who wanted me to   
make Trunks and Mirai Trunks fight over Mirai Pan...I'm sorry, but this is   
how I planned it when I first came up with the story. Besides, I don't think  
I could make Trunks do something like that without making him seem totally   
OOC...which I swore I wouldn't do. Ah well, hope you all liked it anyway.   
  
To come in the next chapter: Trunks and Goten sort out their emotions dealing   
with their respective loves, the people in Mirai Trunks' timeline come to Dahlia,  
and wedding preparations begin. Until then!  
  
  



	11. More Suprises

Mysterious Beauty  
Chapter 9: More Surprises  
By Lady Starra  
Rating: PG-13  
presea94@netscape.net  
See foreword for standard disclaimers.  
  
  
I am REALLY sorry it took forever for me to finish this. I've started working   
again and it's really been taking a lot out of me, so I really haven't had   
the time or the energy to write. But here it is at last! It came out a lot   
differently than what I had originally planned, but I tend to do that a lot  
when I'm writing. ^^; Please give me feedback!  
  
  
  
  
"You gonna be okay?" Goten asked Trunks as they walked back into the palace.  
  
"No. I'm never going to 'be okay' with the fact that she doesn't love me. If   
this is what love is supposed to feel like...then I don't want it," Trunks   
muttered, as he walked towards the direction of his room.  
  
"Look...try and get some sleep. You'll probably feel better in the morning."  
  
"I doubt that."  
  
Goten was afraid Trunks might get lost in the huge palace, but Trunks had a   
pretty good sense of direction, although he didn't care if he made it to his   
room that night or not. He didn't care about anything.  
  
When he heard footsteps and voices in the next corridor, he hid behind a   
pillar and kept quiet. He just didn't want to see anyone right now.  
  
It was Gohan and Videl, carrying an exhausted Pan to her room.  
  
"She's gotten so heavy," Trunks heard Gohan say. "She's becoming more like   
her older self every day. She's even letting her hair grow longer."  
  
"Yes, I know. You should see her when we're training. Trying to do everything   
that Mirai Pan does. She's becoming a woman right before our eyes," Videl   
said. "And lately...I can't help thinking..."  
  
"Thinking about what?" hhe asked when she paused.  
  
"Well...Mirai Pan and Mirai Trunks love each other, and you told me that   
they're lifemates. So, I wonder...does that mean...well, are the Pan and   
Trunks of our world lifemates as well?"  
  
Trunks felt his breath catch as he stood silently in his hiding spot. Gohan   
didn't know what to say. He hadn't even thought of the possibility of that.   
"I'm not sure, Videl. But...Trunks would make a good husband for her, I  
suppose."  
  
"Gohan, Trunks is so much older than she is. Don't you think it would be a   
bit odd?"  
  
Gohan sighed. "I remember Vegeta once telling me that back when his father   
ruled, it wasn't unusual for a Saiyajin to take a younger mate. It was   
because the male population was much higher the female population. Pan and   
Trunks ARE both Saiyajin, after all."  
  
"I guess so. But...let's not talk about things like this right now. Pan has   
her whole life ahead of her, I can't even picture my little girl being   
someone's wife, period, let alone Trunks' wife," Videl sighed.  
  
Gohan laughed.  
  
That was the last thing Trunks heard when he quietly slipped out from behind   
the pillar and finally found the way to his room. Slowly, he undressed and   
fell into bed, not even bothering with the night garments that were left for   
him.   
  
He closed his eyes, remembering the way she tasted when he kissed her, the  
softness of her lips, what her body felt like in his arms. He couldn't get it   
out of his mind, couldn't get HER out of his mind. He suddenly had a   
flashback of Gohan and Videl's conversation.  
  
'I wonder...are the Pan and Trunks of our world lifemates as well?'  
  
Sighing deeply, he stared up at the ceiling.  
  
'If you truly are in love with Son Pan...wait for her.'  
  
Kami, he did love her. But he didn't want to love Pan just because of her   
future self. It wouldn't be fair to her. Not only that, but she was years  
younger.  
  
'Love has no limits...'  
  
Her own words.  
  
'Trunks would make a good husband for her, I suppose.'  
  
It had shocked Trunks to hear Gohan say that. But the age difference was   
still a problem for Trunks. He couldn't see himself dating anyone younger   
than eighteen, and even in that aspect, Pan still had a long way to go.  
  
He needed some release from all this. Sitting up, he looked at the control   
pad on his nightstand and hit one of the buttons. He knew there were servants  
that were still cleaning up, so it would be no problem getting a hold of one.  
  
"Yes, sir?" a voice over the intercom asked.  
  
"Bring me some wine. And lots of it."  
  
* * *  
  
Morning came all too soon. The queen of Dahlia-sei sat up in her bed, looking   
down at her lover and soon-to-be king who slept naked under the sheets. Gods,   
how she loved him. She leaned down, pressing her bare chest against his,   
kissing him lightly on the lips. He smiled, wrapping his arms around her,   
then pulling her down on the bed so he now hovered over her. He kissed her   
neck and earlobes, and she reveled in the warmth of his kisses.  
  
"I love you," she whispered.  
  
"Hmm...do you? Then prove it to me, my queen..."  
  
"I have. Countless times, last night."  
  
"I'm still not convinced," he smirked.  
  
"Trunks. We have to get up. Everyone's meeting in the gardens for brunch this  
morning," she told him.  
  
"But, darling...this bed is so comfy. I don't think I could get up if I   
wanted to."  
  
"Humph. Well, suit yourself, but I need to get up."  
  
She tried to sit up but he wouldn't let her.  
  
"Please, my darling?" he said playfully.  
  
"Trunks, I have important political matters to attend to. And I can't do that   
on an empty stomach, so I can't afford to miss brunch. Now let me up so I can  
bathe and get ready."  
  
"Hmm...a bath. That sounds wonderful, Your Majesty." He scooped her up in his  
arms and headed for the bathroom.  
  
"Trunks! What do you think you're doing?"  
  
"You should be happy. I'm out of bed now, aren't I?"  
  
She sighed. "What am I going to do with you?"  
  
Smirking, he set her down and turned on the bath water. "You're going to   
bathe with me."  
  
* * *  
  
The weather was perfect for eating outside. The servants had set up tables   
and enough chairs for the queen and her guests, and like the previous night,  
enough food for at least fifteen Saiyajin fighters was brought out. However,  
there was one person missing.  
  
"Where's Trunks?" Bulma asked Goten.  
  
"I don't know. Maybe he got lost or something, the palace is really huge.   
I'll go check on him. Save some food for me, Tousan!" Goten said to Goku   
before leaving for Trunks' chambers.  
  
'I hope he's doing all right,' Mirai Pan thought, worried that perhaps he   
took the events of the previous night too hard. It felt terrible, having to  
break his heart in such a way...  
  
'Don't worry about it, love,' Mirai Trunks told her telepathically. 'You   
didn't do anything wrong.'  
  
'I know. But I'm still worried,' she answered.  
  
'He'll be fine. Trust me.'  
  
* * *  
  
Goten pounded on Trunks' door.   
  
"Trunks! You in there?"  
  
He found that the door was unlocked and walked in. Trunks was still in bed.   
He looked on the nightstand, noting the empty wine bottles, and sighed.  
  
'Oi, Trunks. Guess he got pretty hammered last night. He doesn't know how to  
deal with the pain. Poor guy.'  
  
"Yo, Trunks. Wake up," he said, shaking him. "TRUNKS!" Frustrated, he grabbed   
the glass on the nightstand and filled it with cold water. "Hey, Trunks! Get   
up!" Goten splashed the cold water in his face, finally getting a reaction.  
  
"C-Cold!" Trunks cried, shivering. "Goten! You baka, why did..." That's when   
he felt it. "Owwwww..." He brought his hands to his temples and fell back on   
the bed. "My head..."  
  
"Well, that's to be expected after drinking three bottles of wine, Trunks.   
The wine on earth might not have done this to you...but the stuff on this   
planet is a little more potent."  
  
"Aggghhh...Goten, I...I don't feel so good."  
  
"And there you have it."  
  
Before Trunks knew it, he was in the bathroom, vomiting in the toilet.  
  
"This isn't a good time for you to be throwing up, Trunks. Everyone's at   
brunch wondering where you are," Goten said.  
  
"Tell them I'm sick."  
  
"You mean hung over."  
  
"No, sick. Tell them I'm SICK."  
  
* * *  
  
"Sick?" Bulma said in surprise. "But he's never been sick a day in his life!"  
  
"Well, he is now, apparently. He was throwing up in the bathroom," Goten   
said.  
  
"Shouldn't we get him a doctor?" Bulma asked.  
  
"I know. I'LL make him feel better!" Young Pan said with a smile, standing up.  
  
"You?" Vegeta said, looking oddly at the child.  
  
"Hai! I can do it with magic!"  
  
"Can not!" Bra said, sticking out her tongue.  
  
"Can TOO! Mirai Pan taught me how!" Pan said, sticking her tongue out in   
return.  
  
"Nani?! You mean that magic can heal sickness?" Vegeta asked, stunned.  
  
"Hai, Vegeta-san! Just you wait. Trunks will be down here before you know it!  
Uncle Goten, show me to his room, please?" Pan said.  
  
Goten looked confused. "She knows what she's doing," Mirai Pan said. "Go on.   
Take her to Trunks."  
  
* * *  
  
"Trunks! Ohayo!"  
  
Trunks opened his eyes, surprised to see the Young Pan standing there.  
  
"Pan-chan...what are you doing here? I'm kind of sick."  
  
"I know. I've come to make you feel better."  
  
He blinked in confusion.  
  
"What's wrong with you, Trunks?" she asked.  
  
"I...have a really bad headache Pan-chan."  
  
"And he threw up," Goten added, and Trunks glared at him.  
  
"I can make you feel better, Trunks."  
  
He sighed. "Thanks, Pan-chan, but I don't think..."  
  
Before he could say anything else, she was at his side and held her hand to   
his forehead. Trunks and Goten watched in fascination as the healing light   
appeared in her hand and overtook Trunks' body. After several seconds, the  
light faded.  
  
Trunks was astonished. He felt a hundred percent better. No headache, no   
nausea. What had she done?  
  
"Pan-chan...how...how did you do that?" he asked her.  
  
"Magic, Trunks. It's part of my training."  
  
"That was...incredible, Pan-chan," he said, amazed at how energized he felt.  
  
"Then you feel better?"  
  
"Much better."  
  
"I'm so glad!" she giggled, hugging him. "Now that you're feeling better, get   
dressed so you can eat with us!"  
  
* * *  
  
Very reluctantly, Trunks dressed and went with Goten and Pan to the gardens.   
He didn't want to face Mirai Pan right now. He didn't think he could. Not   
after making such a fool out of himself. He probably would have stayed in his   
room if he hadn't been so hungry.  
  
"Well, glad you could make it, Trunks. Feeling better?" his mother asked him.  
  
"Um, yeah," Trunks said as he took the seat next to Goten's, not even looking  
Mirai Pan's way.  
  
"What was wrong with you anyway, boy?" Vegeta asked.  
  
"Just the flu or something," Trunks lied as he began eating his breakfast.   
'It was stupid of me to come here,' he thought. 'Now I have to stay on this   
planet for a whole bloody year and watch her marry someone else.'  
  
"Now that everyone is here," Mirai Goten spoke up, "Bra-chan and I have an   
announcement to make."  
  
'Here we go,' Goten thought. Everyone looked curiously at Mirai Goten as they   
stood from their seats.  
  
"Bra-chan and I...well..."  
  
"Goten proposed to me last night," Mirai Bra finished, and with that, gasps   
and squeals of joy filled the air. In a split second Mirai Pan was out of her  
seat and hugging her uncle and best friend.  
  
"Oh, Bra-chan! Uncle Goten, congratulations!"  
  
"And about time, too!" Kara laughed as she hugged them as well.  
  
Everyone else except Bulma, Vegeta and Goten just looked on in amazement. Did  
they just hear right? Goten...and Bra? Engaged? Soon to be MARRIED?  
  
"Oh, my," Chichi said, feeling the tears in her eyes. "My son...oh, this is   
so wonderful!" She excitedly got up and also hugged Mirai Goten. "Finally,   
you've become a man! I'm so proud of you!"  
  
Mirai Goten blushed furiously. "Thank you, Kaasan."  
  
Trunks couldn't believe it. Goten and his sister? The age gap between them   
was the same as him and Pan. He wanted to yell at Mirai Goten for this.   
But...seeing his "older" sister's radiant smile...he could feel her happiness.   
After all, she had no one else in this world. It wasn't until last night, when   
Mirai Pan described the events of the past, when he realized how difficult it   
must of been for all three of them to lose their family. However...Trunks   
didn't want anymore weird surprises for the rest of this trip.  
  
Mirai Pan lifted her juice glass and made a toast.  
  
"To Bra-chan and Uncle Goten. Health and happiness forever!"  
  
"To Bra and Goten!"  
  
Once all of the excitement died down and everyone congratulated the couple,   
brunch was resumed, and Chichi and Bulma began talking of wedding plans and   
other odds and ends, with Kara explaining to them what a traditional Dahlian  
wedding was like.  
  
"Lutz, Aron, we have to make a plan to retreive the people from Trunks' world   
as soon as possible. I want us to be ready within the week," Mirai Pan told   
them.  
  
"Your Majesty, since you will be transporting such a large group of people, I   
must suggest that Lutz accompany you," Aron said.  
  
"I suppose that would be best. The more power we can get the better. I don't  
want to make more than one trip if we don't have to. Let's meet this   
afternoon to discuss it more. And Aron, after brunch, I am requesting that   
you take Trunks' mother to Techna so she can meet Maia and the other   
scientists."  
  
"Of course, Your Majesty, I'd be happy to."  
  
"Thank you. And Lutz, when we get Trunks' people here, you, Crys and Kara can  
begin training Young Pan and my mother. Let them kick back and have some fun  
first. The people from Trunks' world coming here takes priority over everything,   
even my own wedding," she said.  
  
"We understand. And when DO you plan to announce your engagement, if you   
don't mind my asking?" Lutz said.  
  
"Once we get them here and settled in."  
  
* * *  
  
It was a great week for the Sons and the Briefs. Young Bra finally got to go   
to the marketplace, and she ended up going back every single day. They all  
went back to the Cille Islands to swim and have fun on the beach, and even   
visited the neighboring planet, Azura, which had many amusement parks and   
tourist-type places. It was a vacation they would never forget, that was for   
sure.   
  
Trunks went along with them, although he was much less enthusiastic than the   
others. He did everything he could to keep his mind off of Mirai Pan...but it  
didn't help. Her face still appeared in his mind, and she still invaded his dreams   
at night. He would have been much better off staying on Earth and doing   
paperwork for Capsule Corporation.  
  
Bulma, however, didn't kick back as much as she would have liked. Once she   
had gone to Techna, Dahlia's scientific facility, she was in love. The people   
of Dahlia-sei were extremely intelligent, and she had quickly developed a   
good friendship with Maia, the scientist in charge of Techna. Trunks had even   
accompanied her a few times, and told himself that perhaps working with his   
mother at Techna would be just the distraction he needed. Already he was   
getting ideas for capsule upgrades, and things that could be Capsule Corp's  
next big hit.  
  
The day came when Mirai Pan, Mirai Trunks and Lutz were to make the trip to  
Trunks' dimension. Everyone saw them off in the gardens.  
  
"So, you're going to return as if you'd never left, right?" Kara asked.  
  
"Yes, but not to this exact spot. We can't very well bring 1,500 people here   
in the garden. We've agreed that the best place for them to settle for now is  
Landen," Lutz said.  
  
"Landen?" asked Bulma.  
  
"It's located on the coastline on the outskirts of Dahlia City. The land was  
being reserved to have a resort built, but I decided this was much more   
important," Mirai Pan explained. "Besides, the Cille Islands are already a   
popular tourist spot in the Alisa Galaxy, not to mention the capital city   
itself."  
  
"What are you going to do about their living arrangements?" Goten asked.  
  
"After I killed the Jinzoningen in our world, Capsule Corp set up a housing  
development for all of the survivors. The whole thing is capsulized, so we can  
just bring it with us and set it up wherever we want," Mirai Trunks said.  
  
"Is your mother ready for us, Trunks?" Mirai Pan asked.  
  
"Yes, I just spoke with her last night on the communicator. Everyone's waiting   
for us, very eagerly, I might add."  
  
"In that case, we'd better get going. Lutz?" Mirai Pan said, looking at the   
sorcerer. Nodding, he cast a spell and they were once again inside the sphere  
barrier. "This won't take long. We'll be back before you know it!" the queen   
assured them, and after the magic words were spoken by Lutz, they were gone.  
  
* * *  
  
Mirai Bulma (AN: yet another Mirai!) paced in her room impatiently. What could   
be keeping those two? Sighing, she tried to relax. She remembered Trunks' many  
calls in the last week, telling her how beautiful the planet was, how much he   
loved it there. She was thrilled to find out that her son had finally admitted   
his feelings to Pan, and that she felt the same way.  
  
She picked up a photo of all the Z Soldiers that had been taken before the   
Jinzoningen had come. "Gohan, you would've been so proud. Of both of them,"   
she said. She then looked at Chichi in the picture. "And Chichi, it's too bad  
you were never able to meet Pan." Poor Chichi had become so grief-stricken   
after Gohan's death that she had actually died from it. Her heart couldn't   
handle the pain. If only she could have known that in another world, Gohan had   
a daughter, and she had a granddaughter.  
  
They had all shared so much together, and now, she would be leaving those   
memories behind for a new life. Part of her didn't want to leave because of  
those memories, but she knew that if they stayed...they would never survive.  
Besides, she wanted to watch her son marry, and have children of his own.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted as a flash of light suddenly appeared outside.  
She ran to the window and looked out, and watched as the figure of three   
people appeared. One person she couldn't make out, the other two she clearly  
recognized as Pan and Trunks.  
  
"Trunks!" She threw on her robe and ran downstairs and outside. They were on  
the ground by the time she got there. "Trunks!" She frantically hugged her   
son, who returned the gesture. He had missed his mother. He hadn't seen her  
in over a year.  
  
"Bulma-san, this is Lutz, the Head Sorcerer of Dahlia. Lutz, of course you   
know Bulma. Meet the other version of her," Pan said with a smile.  
  
"Huh?" Bulma asked, scrunching her brow in confusion.  
  
"Oh...I didn't tell you, Kaasan. Everyone from the past came with us to   
Dahlia-sei," Trunks said.  
  
"What? EVERYONE? Even...your father?"  
  
Trunks nodded.  
  
"So...your father, and Goku, Yamucha, Kuririn, everyone...are there?"  
  
"Oh, not Yamucha or Kuririn. Only our family and Goku's are there. But you   
should start getting everyone ready, Kaasan. As for me...I kind of have some  
personal matters to attend to first," Trunks told them.  
  
"Personal matters?" Pan asked.  
  
"Don't worry, it shouldn't take too long. Why don't you guys show Lutz   
around?"  
  
"Well, okay. But hurry back, because we're really going to need your help,   
Trunks," Bulma told him.  
  
"I will." He gave Pan a kiss on the cheek. "Be back before you know it."  
  
With a smile, Pan watched as Trunks flew off.  
  
"I wonder what he could be doing?" she said aloud.  
  
"I'm so happy that Trunks is with you, Pan," Bulma said, hugging her. "After  
everything he's been through in his life, he deserves someone like you. Just   
promise me that I'm not going to wait too long to see my grandchildren, okay?"  
  
Pan only blushed.  
  
* * *  
  
Trunks looked down as he flew, trying to find exactly what he was searching   
for.   
  
"Please, please let it still be there," he said silently.  
  
When he found it, he landed on the ground, and looked at the object in   
amazement.  
  
"Unbelievable. After all the damage the earth has suffered, it's still in  
perfect condition," he said. He eyed it up and down, and smiled. She was   
going to love this. Eagerly, he set to work.  
  
* * *  
  
"I wonder what Trunks could be doing?" Bulma wondered.  
  
Pan suddenly felt his ki approaching. "Here he comes," she said as they saw  
his figure coming towards them.  
  
"What did you have to do, Trunks?" Bulma asked him.  
  
"You'll find out soon enough. It's a surprise."  
  
"Oh, really? For who?" Pan said.  
  
"Like I said, you'll find out. Is everything about ready?" Trunks said.  
  
"Not quite, we still have to get everyone out of the buildings and capsulize  
them," Bulma replied.  
  
"There's still one more thing we need to do besides that," Trunks said.  
  
"What?"  
  
* * *  
  
Trunks, Pan, Bulma and Lutz all stood before the graves of the fallen Z   
Soldiers. They put flowers on every one, and Trunks knelt in front of Gohan's  
grave.  
  
"Gohan-sensei," he said. "Thank you for everything. It's too bad you couldn't  
meet Pan-chan, your daughter. I swear right now on your grave, that I will   
love her and protect her for the rest of my life," he vowed.  
  
"You'd better, or I'll have to cross worlds and beat the crap out of you."  
  
They gasped at the sound of the familiar voice that seemed to come from   
behind. They turned and what they saw shocked them.   
  
"Masaka..." Bulma said. Pan wanted to faint.  
  
"Gohan-sensei?" Trunks asked carefully.  
  
"Hello, Trunks, Bulma. It has been a while."  
  
"But...how?" Trunks choked out.  
  
"I'm here, shall we say, with special permission," Gohan told them. "I   
couldn't just let you leave this place forever without saying goodbye."  
  
They still stood there in silence, as Gohan walked in front of Pan.  
  
"So. You're my daughter, ne? Your name is Pan?" he asked.  
  
"H-Hai," she said, nodding.  
  
"Well, Pan-chan. I don't think I could have asked for a more beautiful   
daughter. Just tell me one thing. What is your mother's name?"  
  
"It...it's Videl. Videl Satan."  
  
He studied her carefully, then smiled. "I should have known. You are   
your mother all over again."  
  
She looked at him in astonishment. "So...you DID meet Kaasan in this world?"  
  
"Yes, but the Jinzoningen killed her when we were teenagers. But it brings   
joy to my heart to know that I could find happiness with her in another   
world," Gohan said. He reached out and hugged Pan. "Take good care of   
Trunks, okay?"  
  
Tears streamed down her face. "I will...Tousan."  
  
Letting go of her, he shook Trunks' hand.  
  
"I'm holding you to that promise, Trunks. Take care of her."  
  
"I will, sensei. Until the day I die," Trunks promised again.  
  
"Goodbye, Bulma," Gohan said, and gave her a hug.  
  
"Goodbye, Gohan. And if you see Vegeta wandering around up there...tell him  
that...I love him," Bulma said, trying not to let her tears show.  
  
"I'll do that, Bulma."   
  
They gasped as Gohan's form began to disappear. "Farewell, minna."  
  
* * *  
  
A flash of light came and went over the shores of Landen. About 1,500 people  
appeared and landed safely on the ground, and everyone took in the first   
sight of their new home. A chorus of "wows" came from the crowd, as they   
looked at the beautiful white-sand beach over the high, grassy cliffs.  
  
"Trunks...Pan...it's gorgeous!" Bulma said as she looked out at the   
coastline.  
  
"It does have some charm, don't you think?" Mirai Pan said.  
  
"Definitely. I could live out the rest of my days on that beach easily,"   
Bulma said.  
  
They were able to set up the housing development in the middle of a large  
meadow, and everyone took in the scenery around them in awe. They had never  
seen an atmosphere this beautiful since the Jinzoningen had destroyed most of  
the earth. They already adored Pan because of what she had done for the ones  
infected by the Obsidian Virus. They were more than ready to accept her as  
their queen.  
  
To say the least, it was quite a shock for both Bulma and Mirai Bulma when   
they met each other. 'Things are getting really crazy now. First there were   
two Trunks and two Pans, then two Gotens, two Bras, and now there's two of   
ME!' Bulma thought. It was still interesting though, she had shown Mirai  
Bulma around the Techna facility, and Bulma figured that with two of her   
there, surely Dahlia-sei's technology would be improved in no time at all.  
  
For Mirai Bulma, though, a lot was difficult at first. Like being around   
Vegeta, for instance. She hadn't seen him since Trunks was just a baby, and   
seeing him again was not easy for her to deal with. Bra was another example.  
After meeting both the young and adult versions of her daughter, she felt   
happy, but odd at the same time. Nonetheless, she was glad that she was able  
to start a new life.  
  
A week later, another feast was held at the palace honoring the new arrivals.  
Mirai Trunks was very nervous, for it was the night that Mirai Pan would   
announce that he was to become king. However, he had his own little surprise  
for her that night. He had asked some of the guys to help him fix it up, and   
after Pan announced the engagement, he would make his own announcement,   
presenting her with his wedding gift.  
  
"Don't be nervous, Trunks. I just know my people are going to love you," she  
said as they prepared for the feast.  
  
"I really hope so. But...being a king...is so much responsibility. I'm   
actually more nervous about being able to do the job," he said.  
  
"I had the same fears, Trunks. But you're strong, and you're dependable. I   
know you'll be a wonderful king, because I know you," she reassured him,  
giving him a kiss on the lips. "Now let's get going. Everyone's waiting."  
  
  
************************************************************   
  
Erm...another cliffhanger! What will Mirai Trunks' surprise be? It's in the  
next chapter, as well as the wedding of the century! And as for the Gohan   
thing in this chapter...I kinda put it in there on a whim, and I just thought   
it would be an incredibly touching moment for the story, if this story hasn't  
made you cry yet I hope this chapter did! In a good way, of course.   
  
R&R please!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	12. 'Til Death Do Us Part

Mysterious Beauty  
Chapter 10: In Sickness and In Health  
By Lady Starra  
Rating: PG-13  
presea94@netscape.net  
See foreword for standard disclaimers.  
  
Okay...I know you all probably want to strangle me and beat me into oblivion   
for taking so long to get this out. I'm really sorry. My computer crashed and   
I couldn't get on the Internet or type out my stories for the longest time.   
Also, the fact that real life has been exceptionally cruel the past few weeks   
didn't help either. I won't go into details, because I know you're all really   
eager to get on with this story, so get on with it! ;)  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
This time, they were having the feast in the gardens. It was a gorgeous   
sight, with beads of pale yellow lights strung up into the trees, with   
magical star lamps acting as centerpieces for the many tables that had been   
set up. Lutz had cast a small spell on the garden to bring out the fragance   
of the flowers, and two of Dahlia's three moons were full, giving the   
atmosphere an enchanting beauty.  
  
Also, the fact that they were in the garden made it a lot easier for Mirai   
Trunks to present his gift to his bride-to-be. He couldn't wait to see the   
look on her face when she saw it. Looking around him, seeing the people of   
his world finally happy and able to move on with their lives after the   
Jinzoningen's horrific reign, made him feel happier than he ever thought he   
could be.  
  
Not long into the feast, Mirai Pan was ready to make her announcement. "May I   
have everyone's attention, please?" she said, standing up. Everyone became   
silent and looked at the direction of the queen's table. "We're celebrating   
this night in honor of the remaining survivors of Earth. As the queen of   
Dahlia-sei, I welcome all of you to your new home. You are now citizens of   
this planet, and on behalf of the Royal Council and myself, we hope that you   
will have a long and prosperous life here." She lifted her wine glass. "A   
toast. To our new brothers and sisters."  
  
Everyone drank and cheered, but the queen wasn't finished yet.  
  
"Also, I have another announcement that I am sure many of you have been   
anticipating for quite some time. I have chosen whom I will marry, and who   
will become the king of this land."  
  
Everyone began chattering to each other in surprise, wondering who the lucky   
man was, although some had a good idea. Since she had returned home, rumors   
had been going around that the queen had a lover. Many had thought it to be   
the purple-haired man she had been dancing with at the previous gala...but no   
one thought it to be THAT serious.  
  
"I fell in love with him almost immediately when I met him. He saved my life   
when I was on the verge of death, and has been there for me constantly since   
then. He is a wonderful man and I have no doubt in my mind that you will all  
come to love him as much as I do. And so, I present to you...Mirai Trunks   
Briefs."  
  
Not everyone was surprised when the queen motioned for Mirai Trunks to stand   
up. He was indeed the person who had never left the queen's side at the last  
feast. Some of them had hoped that she would have chosen a native Dahlian for   
a husband, but they knew their queen was wise and a good judge of character,  
so they applauded and cheered for their future king enthusiastically.  
  
Mirai Trunks was a bit surprised. He hadn't expected them to accept him so  
eagerly. Finally, he felt that invisble boulder of worry lift off his   
shoulders, and only smiled at the people as they applauded him.  
  
"Would you like to say anything, my love?" she asked him. He looked over at   
Gohan, who gave him a knowing nod, and he smiled at her.  
  
"I'm afraid I'm not very good at speeches. However, I do have something I   
want to give you, Your Majesty," he said.  
  
She could only wonder what he was up to. He read her thoughts clearly. "I   
know you've said in the past you don't like surprises, but...I couldn't help  
myself. Behold, your wedding present."  
  
"Lutz, that's your cue!" Mirai Goten whispered. Nodding, Lutz waved his magic  
staff and a beam of light appeared in the middle of the garden. Something   
large suddenly appeared, something that looked like...  
  
"A tree?" Mirai Pan said.  
  
"Come take a closer look, Pan-chan," Mirai Trunks said as he took her by the  
hand and led her to the middle of the garden, the guests at the feast   
looking on in wonder.  
  
Once they were closer to the tree, Mirai Pan gasped. "What the...it can't   
be!" Running up to it, she realized she wasn't hallucinating. There in the   
bark were the initials of her family members, save for her mother, Goten and   
herself. But it was the same tree...she could tell by the branches. The Son   
Family Tree, the one that should have been destroyed with the rest of the  
Earth...was sitting there in front of her.  
  
"But...how?" she asked her future husband in surprise.  
  
"Remember when we were in my world and I went off by myself? I wanted to see   
if the tree existed there. And lo and behold, I found it just where I thought   
I would, in all its glory. When I saw it, I had to preserve it for you. It   
wasn't easy, but...the look on your face is worth it."  
  
"It...came from your world?" So that's why her and Goten's initials weren't   
on it, or her mother's for that matter.  
  
"Now, you'll always have something to remember your family by," he said.   
  
'Not only that, but now I'll always remember the night we confessed our love   
to each other, under that tree,' she thought. She was speechless and she   
couldn't help the tears that came. He was always so wonderful to her...it  
amazed her that she could fall in love with him more every day. Before she   
knew it she was in his arms, staining his clothes with her tears.  
  
"Thank you. Thank you so much. It's wonderful. I couldn't have asked for a   
better wedding present. Or a better husband." When they kissed, cheers rang   
out again, and the celebration resumed. The queen just continued to gaze at   
her present, thinking that the middle of the garden was the perfect place for   
it.  
  
"What are you thinking, love?" Mirai Trunks asked.  
  
"Don't you know?" she teased.  
  
"Very funny."  
  
"I should get my mother and Uncle Goten to put their initials here, and then   
I'll put mine," she said, tracing her fingers over her father's initials.   
"I've decided. I want us to get married on this very spot. And after we say   
our wedding vows...you're going to carve your initials right next to mine."  
  
"As you wish, Your Majesty," he said as he bowed, and then took her in his   
arms. "Dance with me?"  
  
"After a gift like this? How could I refuse?"  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"I couldn't have asked for a better wedding present."  
  
"Hey, I thought you liked my present best."  
  
"Okay, then I couldn't have asked for a better wedding present on the night   
before my wedding day," Mirai Pan said as she looked down at Yuki, nursing   
her newborn cubs for the first time. "So many wonderful things are happening   
at once. I know I'll never forget this time in my life, as long as I live."  
  
"They're so tiny," Mirai Trunks said as he looked at the small cats. "Do you   
have names picked out for them yet?"  
  
"Hmm...I'm still thinking. Or maybe I should let Yuki name them..."  
  
"She's probably too exhausted to think about that," Mirai Trunks said as he   
patted Yuki on the head.  
  
"Lutz and I can look after Yuki and the cubs tonight. You two should get some   
sleep. You have the biggest day of your lives ahead of you tomorrow," Kara   
told them.  
  
"Yeah, and no sleeping in the same room tonight guys. From this moment on,   
you're not to see each other until Pan-chan walks down the aisle," Mirai Bra   
said.  
  
"Ugh," Mirai Trunks groaned, disappointed. "This'll be a long night."  
  
"I know, but try to rest up," Mirai Goten said. "You're gonna become a king   
tomorrow."  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"You wished to see me?"  
  
"Yes. Thanks for agreeing to speak with me so late."  
  
"What can I do for you, Goku-san?"  
  
"Lutz...Pan told us that unless we were skilled in magic, we wouldn't be able   
to even lift a finger against this Zio guy. Am I right?"  
  
"Yes. Zio was a very powerful sorcerer. It's miraculous that she was able to   
defeat him all by herself. I was supposed to go with her to fight him. But   
she felt it was something that had to be done on her own."  
  
"Lutz...Zio hasn't invaded in my time yet...but there's a chance that he   
could be even stronger than the one in this world was."  
  
"I...don't think I follow you."  
  
"When Mirai Trunks first came to warn us about the Jinzoningen, it somehow   
caused a lot of events in the timeline to change. The Jinzoningen in our   
world were a lot stronger than in his. There might be the possibility that   
the same could be true for Zio as well. What I'm saying is...what if what we   
have to fight with right now isn't enough?"  
  
Lutz paused. "I don't know what to tell you about that, Goku-san. We just   
have to hope that what we have IS enough."  
  
"Lutz...I can't just sit back knowing there's danger coming! I want to help!   
I don't know magic, but there has to be something, anything the rest of us   
can do! There HAS to be! I was told that there are people on this planet who   
know magic, even though they aren't part of the royal family. Is it true?"  
  
"Yes, but that's mainly the healers and doctors of the planet, as well as the   
highest-ranking officers in the army. But they only know some techniques, not   
the entire Mystoke art. Even Bra and Goten know a few things."  
  
"Well then! I'm sure there are some things you can teach the rest of us.   
Please, Lutz! I won't take no for an answer!"  
  
Lutz sighed. The queen had always spoken very highly of her grandfather, and   
now he knew why. However, this was not a decision that could be made right   
away. The magic of Mystoke was sacred, and he had to respect the laws of the   
planet.  
  
"I shall take your request into consideration, Goku-san. This is not   
something I can decide on alone. Once the excitement of the wedding and   
coronation dies down, I can give you an answer."  
  
"I understand. Thank you, Lutz."  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"Trunks! Get up! Rise and shine!"  
  
Mirai Trunks vaguely made out his mother's voice as he slowly woke from   
sleep. Was it morning already?  
  
"Come on, son! You're getting married today!"  
  
Slowly, Trunks sat up in bed. He was surprised to see that his mother was   
accompanied by several servants.  
  
"What the...?"  
  
"They're here to help you get ready. You need to look your absolute best for   
the bride, don't you?"  
  
"Thanks, but...I think I can dress myself," he said.  
  
"Oh no, sire. I am afraid this outfit is much more complicated than the other   
formals that you've worn. Her Majesty wished for us to help you," one servant   
said.  
  
"She did, did she?" he sighed. "Well, I guess I don't have a choice then."  
  
The servants helped him with the elaborate outfit, and he was glad they   
helped him after all...it was much more overwhelming than the other ones he'd   
worn. He was wearing all white, trimmed with silver designs and a long cape.   
It was the most dressed up he had ever been in his life.  
  
"You look great! I love the clothes on this planet," his mother commented.  
  
"Thanks, Kaasan."  
  
"How do you feel, honey? Nervous?" Bulma asked him.  
  
"Yeah...a little. I guess...I never thought I'd see the day when I became a   
husband, let alone a king."  
  
"I'm so proud of you, Trunks. Because of you, we were all able to start our   
new lives. We can finally move on after all those years of hardship," Bulma   
said.  
  
"Thank Pan-chan."  
  
"I will. Well, I think it's showtime. Are you ready?"  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
The queen was in her chamber, dressed in a long, white gown, with silver   
designs similar to that of the groom's attire. She wore beautiful silver   
jewels and a silver tiara, and strings of small crystal beads were woven into   
her hair.  
  
"Wow! Pan-chan, you look gorgeous!" Mirai Bra said.  
  
"You really do, Pan-chan! You're beautiful!" Goku agreed.  
  
"Thank you, Ojiisama."  
  
Mirai Goten peered his head in through the door. "Are you ready, Pan-chan?"  
  
She took a deep breath and nodded. "As ready as I'll ever be."  
  
"Your parents are waiting. The guests have all arrived, and the groom is   
already in place. Let's get this show on the road!"  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Trunks looked at his other self from his seat, trying not to think about the   
current situation. During the last month, he had been doing his best to keep   
himself busy by working with his mother and Mirai Bulma at the Techna   
facility. But he was always thinking of her...always wishing that he could   
be with her. But he had to forget. They were finally getting married today.   
He needed to let her be happy.  
  
It wasn't long before his mother found him and sat next to him. "Trunks. I   
know you're depressed. But try, try to be happy for Pan's sake. Besides, you   
haven't lost her. All you have to do is wait for the other one to grow up."  
  
"Why does everyone keep saying that?" he said.  
  
"Hmm? Everyone?"  
  
"Goten's told me the same thing. So has Tousan. Why does everyone think that   
just because Mirai Trunks and Mirai Pan love each other, that I will end up   
with Pan-chan? She's too young."  
  
"Don't speak too soon, Trunks. Sometimes things happen that you can't   
predict. I mean, do you honestly think that when I was a young girl, that I   
would've ended up marrying your father? No way. You never know what can   
happen, Trunks. Just remember that."  
  
Trunks sighed. 'No,' he thought. 'I don't want this to happen to me again.   
When I get home, I won't do anything but concentrate on being the president   
of Capsule Corporation. I don't need to fall in love anymore.'  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Trumpets began to sound in the gardens, announcing the queen's entrance.   
Everyone stood up, watching as their beautiful queen walked arm-in-arm with   
her father, as she walked towards the groom who stared at her in awe. Never   
in his life had anything looked more beautiful to him. And today, she would   
be his forever.  
  
Trunks felt that all too familiar ache in his heart again as he watched her   
walk down the aisle with Gohan, in that long, shimmering dress with a rosy   
hue on her cheeks. Trying to get his mind off how beautiful she was, he   
wondered how Gohan was feeling. What was it like, walking his daughter down   
the aisle on her wedding day, when in their world she was only eleven years   
old? Eleven years old...yes, she was definitely too young for him. When she   
turned 18, he would be 32. She was too young. Much too young.  
  
It wasn't long before the high priest began the ceremony, which followed   
everything in the traditional fashion of Dahlia-sei. Royal weddings were much   
longer and more ceremonial than normal weddings, and it began to get very   
tedious for some people.  
  
"Does this thing ever end?" Trunks muttered under his breath to Goten.  
  
"Mirai Pan told me that weddings for royalty on this planet have a lot of   
customs that need to be followed. And since this is the first royal wedding   
since her great-grandparents were married, they're REALLY making a big deal   
out of it," Goten whispered back.  
  
"How festive," Trunks grumbled.  
  
"If you think this is fun, wait until the coronation. This is gonna be the   
first crowning of a king in three generations. It'll probably be even worse   
especially since he's not a native of the planet."  
  
"Somebody kill me now..."  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"And now, it is within my power as the High Priest of Dahlia-sei, that I   
proclaim you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."  
  
'Finally,' Mirai Trunks thought as he lifted the veil from her face, leaned   
in, and pressed his lips to hers. 'You're mine now, Pan-chan,' he spoke to   
her mind.  
  
'Always. Forever,' she replied as she wrapped her arms around him and   
everyone clapped and cheered.  
  
When the kiss ended, the final part of the ceremony took place. At the   
queen's insistence, her new husband carved his initials into the Son Family   
Tree right then and there. Now, he was part of her family. She cried as she   
watched him do this, remembering how he'd given it to her as a gift. When he   
was done, she took his hands into hers.  
  
"Come on, Mirai no Trunks. We're going to make a king out of you."  
  
For the coronation, they made the newlyweds change out of their wedding   
clothes and into the most formal attire worn in the Royal Court. This time,   
everyone gathered in the palace thone room, or at least everyone they could   
fit in there. The queen sat on one of the two thrones and watched as her   
husband was instructed to stand in the middle of the platform as the High   
Priest began.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
When the High Priest finally fit the royal headpiece on the new king's head,   
the crowd went wild, mostly the natives of the planet. Many thought they   
would never live to see this day. Finally, after years and years, Dahlia-sei   
had a king AND a queen. This was a great day for their planet, and the   
celebrations would last at least a week, even after the king left for their   
honeymoon.   
  
In the last few months, there had been some big events going on at the   
palace, but tonight would be the mother of them all. On Dahlia-sei, a wedding   
feast and celebration for a newly married couple always began at dusk and   
ended at dawn. No one would be getting any rest that night.  
  
When he was instructed to sit at the throne next to his wife, she whispered   
over to him.  
  
"The really fun part is next," she said somewhat sarcastically. "I sure hope   
you don't have to go to the bathroom anytime soon."  
  
The long and tedious part of the coronation came next, where all of the Royal   
Council, all of the members of the palace guard, and ALL of Dahlia-sei's   
noble lords and ladies would bow before the new king and swear their   
allegiance to him. The fact that he was actually a king finally sunk in when   
the first person spoke the oath to him, which was Crys.   
  
The captain of the guard knelt on one knee before him. "I, Crys Hinas, the   
Captain of the Royal Guard, do solemnly swear my allegiance to His Majesty,   
King Trunks Briefs-Vegeta, and to his heirs and successors according to law."  
  
The new king flinched. 'Wow. That was deep,' he thought. 'I can hardly   
believe this. I never thought I'd have people treating me like this...'  
  
Person after person came up, stating their name and making the same vow.   
Mirai Trunks suddenly felt sorry for his wife, who he was sure had to go   
through all of this when she was crowned queen, meaning this was her second   
time seeing this routine. Although he was flattered by the attention, he was   
beginning to get hungry.  
  
'When do we eat?' he asked his wife in her mind.  
  
'I know how you feel. But don't worry. The feasts we've had in the past will   
look like a side dish compared to what we're getting later.'  
  
'And we HAVE to keep the party going until dawn?! What about our wedding   
night?! I'll be too tired for us to do anything...private.'  
  
'That's what the honeymoon is for, isn't it?'  
  
'Where ARE we going for our honeymoon, anyway?'  
  
'I'll fill you in later, my king. Pay attention to the people who are   
swearing their loyalty to you.'  
  
'Yes, Your Majesty,' he replied, annoyed.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
After everything in the throne room was finally over, the king and queen went   
to the palace's highest balcony that overlooked the Dahlia City marketplace   
and waved to a crowd of cheering subjects. Mirai Trunks felt rather nervous,   
although he was told to "just smile and wave."   
  
Looking down at all the people cheering for him made him think again how   
lucky he was. A year ago, he never would have thought anything like this was   
even conceiveable. But when Pan came falling into his arms, literally, his   
whole life had changed. This was the happiness he had always yearned for. It   
wasn't even being a king, but just being with Pan. That was all he wanted.  
  
Pan wasn't joking when she mentioned the amount of food that would be at the   
celebration. There were piles, truckloads, mountains of it. Mirai Trunks   
found himself trying everything, he was so hungry. His wife laughed as she   
watched him stuff his face.  
  
"Hungry?" she asked with a giggle.  
  
"I haven't eaten since breakfast! And even at breakfast I didn't eat very   
much. Laugh all you want but I don't think it's so funny."  
  
"Oh, relax. You know I'm only teasing."  
  
"You never did answer my question. Where are we going for our honeymoon?"  
  
"Oh, yeah. We're going to Azura. Azura is the planet that neighbors us. It's   
THE place to go on vacaction. Lots to do, all of their major cities are   
crowded with tourists. I've only been there once or twice on political   
business, so I've never had much of a chance to scope out the fun."  
  
"Humph. You won't anyway. I don't intend to let you out of bed for a week."  
  
"Pervert," she muttered. "Why do you always have to spoil my fun?"  
  
"The bed IS fun," he smirked.  
  
"I want to do more than that, Trunks! I want to explore the universe! I want   
to visit all the theme parks in Azura and shop in the city where it's always   
nighttime. We have the rest of our lives for...well, you know."  
  
"Do we really have to stay here until dawn? Maybe we should slip away for a   
few hours and...make tonight a little more memorable?"  
  
"Oyyyyy...your hormones weren't this bad when I first met you."  
  
"Well, I wasn't mated to you at the time, darling. Having a mate really   
brings out the animalistic side of a Saiyajin, you know?"  
  
"You're impossible, Trunks. Simply impossible."  
  
"Hmm. Maybe. But that's why you love me, right?"  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Sometime that evening, Lutz approached Mirai Pan.  
  
"There is something important I have to discuss with you," he said.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Well...your grandfather came to me and asked a favor. He is afraid that   
perhaps your powers and the powers of your mother and your younger self won't   
be enough to defeat Zio in his time. He wants to learn magic so he can help."  
  
'Ojiisama,' she thought. 'You're so caring. I know you hate not being able to   
do anything.'  
  
"I cannot train him fully in the arts. But he can be shown some aspects of   
it, like your uncle has learned. To do this, I must have your approval first  
before bringing it to the Council."  
  
"You definitely have my approval. My Ojiisama is very strong, having him   
fight with us would help a great deal."  
  
"There's only one problem. With your mother and younger self here, I won't be   
able to train him until I hand them over to Crys for their weapons training.   
Would you be willing to train him until then?"  
  
She paused. "Me? Train Ojiisama?"  
  
"Only for the first six months. Then I'll take over."  
  
"It'll be a little strange...but all right. I've been wanting to spend more   
time with Ojiisama anyway. I'll start when we come back from Azura."  
  
  
  
  
  
Well...that's it for now. I hope it wasn't too boring. I've already started   
on the next chapter, so I should have it out much quicker. In Chapter 11:   
Videl and Young Pan start their "special" training, Mirai Pan and Mirai   
Trunks have fun on their honeymoon, and ANOTHER wedding takes place! See you   
then!  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	13. Our Song

Mysterious Beauty  
Chapter 11: Our Song  
By Lady Starra  
Rating: PG-13  
presea94@netscape.net  
See foreword for standard disclaimers.  
  
Umm, okay. I lied...there's not another wedding in this chapter! ^^; But at   
least I got this one up a lot faster! Anyhoo, this is rated PG-13 for sexual   
references, nothing too bad though. It may not even be worth a PG-13, but   
it's better to be safe than sorry, I guess. And I humbly apologize if this   
chapter seems like filler, but...there IS stuff that's crucial to the story,   
aside from all the WAFF I put in this one. Hope you enjoy it!  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"Phew! What a wild party that was. I can't believe we're gonna have to do the   
same thing when we get married. I can barely walk right now," an exhausted   
Mirai Goten said to his fiancee.   
  
"Perhaps you had a little too much wine, dearest," Mirai Bra said.  
  
"Well, I had every reason to celebrate. My niece is married to the man she   
loves, and for the first time in seven years, she's truly happy. And...so am   
I."  
  
"Me too, Goten. Me too."  
  
They arrived at his room, and she helped him inside and he collapsed on his   
bed. "You look exhausted. Get some rest, Goten."  
  
He grabbed her wrist and pulled her down to him, stopping her from leaving.  
  
"Goten!"  
  
"Stay here."  
  
"Goten...I'm so tired! You can't possibly want to..."  
  
"No, no. Just...sleep here, beside me...in my arms."  
  
"Goten, I'm still wearing my formal."  
  
"So take it off. It's not like I haven't seen what's underneath. I just want   
you beside me right now. So that when I wake up...I'll know that everything   
that's happening isn't a dream."  
  
"Goten..."  
  
He pulled her closer, kissing her forehead. "I'm gonna make you the happiest   
bride, Bra-chan. And I'll never stop loving you, even after I die."  
  
Smiling, she closed her eyes and snuggled closer to him. "Promise?"  
  
"I swear it."  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Trunks woke up as a ray of sunshine hit him right in the face. Yawning, he   
got up and opened his window, breathing in the smell of the garden flowers   
from below.  
  
"Everyone else is probably just now going to bed," he said. The night before,   
Trunks stuck around at the wedding feast long enough to eat everything he   
could and then went straight to his room. No way was he staying up until   
daybreak after the long day that had taken place. "Now it's time to go to   
work," he said as he dressed and prepared to fly to the Techna facility.  
  
However, on his way out he noticed some men who seemed to be working on some   
kind of space craft on the ground. Curious, he landed and recognized two of   
the men as engineers from Techna.  
  
"Oh, good morning, sir. Are you not retiring from the party like everyone   
else?" one of the men asked.  
  
"No, I wanted to work today so I went to bed early. What is this thing?"   
Trunks asked, looking up at the ship.   
  
"This? It's the king and queen's wedding gift from the staff at Techna. It's their private luxury spaceship. Beautiful, isn't it? Not only does it travel   
in space, but it can transform to sail on the water, too. And it can also   
hover along the ground for local travel, and being inside is just like   
staying in a top-notch resort hotel."   
  
"It's pretty huge for just two people."  
  
"Well, nothing less for our lovely queen and our new king!"  
  
Trunks looked at the ship's name written on the side. "The White Dahlia?"  
  
"Yes, the planet was named after the flowers that are most common here,   
dahlias. They come in all sorts of colors, but I guess the queen's favorite   
are the white ones, so that's what they named the ship."  
  
"I never knew the facility was building something like this. I didn't think   
your technology had been restored enough yet," Trunks said, admiring the   
craftsmanship of the vessel.  
  
"We didn't before you arrived, but your mother is a genius. She has helped us   
greatly since coming here. We were able to get this done in no time thanks to   
her."  
  
"Tell me...are the plans to this ship at the facility?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, sir. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Because I might be interested in making a smaller model of this," he said,   
getting another idea in his head. 'This could possibly be a hit for CC's next   
airship model,' Trunks thought. 'Not to mention the perfect distraction from   
other things for the next year.'  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"The ship is ready to depart anytime, Your Majesty...er, Majesties," the   
servant corrected himself.  
  
"Thank you," Mirai Pan said, somewhat surprised herself at hearing the plural   
for the first time. She knew it would be especially difficult for Trunks at   
first. Over time, though, he'd get used to it, just as she had.  
  
"Ready to go?" she asked. He remained silent, looking out of their bedroom   
window. "What's the matter, Trunks?"  
  
"It's...just so hard for me to believe everything that's happening. I've had   
nothing but hardships in my life, but now...it's almost like everything's   
perfect," he said. Smiling, she hugged him from behind.  
  
"Everything IS perfect, Trunks. It's perfect, because we have each other now.   
I never thought I would see this day, either. Before I left to fight Zio, I   
was convinced I'd never be happy again. But Fate was kind enough to bring us   
together. I know now, that when the pendant brought me to your world, it was   
no accident. This was meant to happen, Trunks. It was my destiny to find you."  
  
He turned around and kissed her, then looked into her eyes. "I love you, Pan-chan."  
  
"I love you too, Trunks. Now, let's go see this new ship they've been keeping   
a secret from me."  
  
They walked out to the front of the palace, where The White Dahlia awaited   
them.  
  
"Wow...it's huge!" the queen remarked, awestruck.  
  
"She's a real gem, Majesty. Superior accomodations inside as well. It can be   
capsulized too, so you won't have to worry about leaving it by itself. Allow   
me to give you a tour," Maia said.  
  
"Thank you. I can't wait to see the inside!"  
  
The ship was everything two honeymooners could want...an extremely large bed,   
an oversized bathtub, plus baskets filled with fruits, chocolates, and other   
goodies, all gifts from the merchants in Dahlia City. The ship's interiors   
were designed in an ancient Roman setting, and there was even an indoor pool   
and hot tub. Maia explained how to work the controls, and how to use the   
autopilot for their trip to Azura. Trunks was pretty confident that he could   
work all the controls...they weren't much different from any of CC's usual   
gadgets.  
  
"Have a wonderful time on your honeymoon, Your Majesties. I'm sure Aron and   
Lutz will have no problems taking care of things until you get back," Maia   
assured them.  
  
"There's really not anything big going on right now, other than the plans for   
my uncle's wedding. I don't think there should be any problems. And thank   
you, Maia, for this gorgeous ship. I know we'll enjoy it."  
  
"Well, the one you should really thank is Bulma. Most of this was her idea.   
Or, should I say, THEIR idea. It's thanks to them that we've been able to   
pick up the pace at Techna," Maia said.  
  
"My mother's always up for a new challenge. I'm sure she loves working out   
there. Now that she's here to live on the planet, it'll probably be where   
she's gonna spend the most time," Trunks said.  
  
"We couldn't do without her, Your Majesty. Well, I believe everything is in   
order. You can use the communicator in the control room if you run into any technical trouble. Have a safe trip, Majesties."  
  
"Thanks again, Maia."  
  
Maia left the ship, and Trunks sat in the pilot's seat and got the ship   
ready. "Sit down and buckle up, Pan-chan. We're taking off."  
  
Pan sat in the co-pilot seat next to Trunks and strapped her seatbelt on, and after pushing a few buttons and pulling a lever here and there, the ship lifted off the ground.  
  
"Wow, this thing is pretty smooth. I hope it lands as well as it takes off,"   
Trunks said as he piloted the ship into space. He took in the sight of the   
planet as they got further and further away. "It's beautiful. It looks a lot   
like earth."  
  
"It does. Azura's very similar to it."  
  
"I know you really wanna go sightseeing Pan-chan, but...can't I have my time   
with you first?" he asked.  
  
"Hmm. What do you have in mind?" she asked, smirking.  
  
"Well, I was hoping you would know of a nice, quiet place we could park the   
ship so we could relax before we turn into non-stop tourists."  
  
"Hmm. I know. There's a really isolated place on Aridia that we can go to."  
  
"Aridia?"  
  
"Yes, the other planet that neighbors us. Aridia is nothing but desert, and   
the people there live on oasis colonies. But I'm sure there are a few places   
we can go that are totally empty. Let me set the course."  
  
Pan navigated the ship straight to Aridia, and landed right in the middle of   
one of its larger deserts away from most of the colonies. It was nighttime on   
that particular part of the planet, and through the ship windows, all of the   
stars were perfectly visible.  
  
"Ah. Beautiful. This place is perfect," Trunks said as he got up from his seat and went back to their room, laying back on the large, comfy bed. "Why   
leave the ship when everything we could possibly do is right here? We won't   
even need to use the pool if we want to swim. The bathtub itself is big   
enough."  
  
"There you go, being a party pooper again. I don't intend to stay in this   
ship our whole honeymoon," she told him.  
  
"Just promise me that we'll get some private time every now and again, okay?"  
  
"Of course, my king. I could never deny you anything you wanted."  
  
"Then come here," he said as he pulled her down on the bed, giving her a   
deep, passionate kiss as their honeymoon officially began.  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"What? Leave? Where are we going?" Videl asked Lutz, slightly confused.  
  
"We have to start your training. The easiest way for us to complete this is   
for us to stay at Esper Mansion for a while," Lutz said.  
  
"Esper Mansion?"  
  
"It's the queen's country estate. Also, there won't be any distractions out   
there, which will make it easier for you to train. But with this training,   
we'll be moving from place to place a lot. You'll understand once we start."  
  
"How long will we be there?"  
  
"It depends on how long it takes you to master that particular skill. It   
could be weeks, perhaps months. It shouldn't take you more than six months to   
completely finish this segment of your training."  
  
"I see. Well, when do we leave?"  
  
"Soon. We will be spending our evenings there, so your husband may come   
along, if he wishes. He won't be able to spend time with you during the day,   
though."  
  
"Lutz," a voice interrupted. It was Goku. "May I come along as well? I'd like   
to observe the training. I promise I won't get in the way, I just want to see   
some of what you're teaching. Perhaps Gohan and I could train during the day   
as well, that way he won't be stuck with nothing to do all day."  
  
"Hmm...I guess that would be all right. Very well, then. We'll be leaving   
shortly."  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"Ohhhh...I wasn't expecting this. Goten-kun, Bra-chan, get up!"  
  
Mirai Bra and Mirai Goten woke up groggily from their peaceful slumber,   
surprised to see who was standing there.  
  
"Kaasan?" Goten said.  
  
"Have you been here since the party ended? You've slept for an eternity. Pan-chan   
and Mirai Trunks have already left. I looked for you in your room, Bra-chan,   
but you weren't there. I figured you were out and about, I didn't think I'd   
find you in here."  
  
"Kaasan, what's going on?" Mirai Goten asked, rubbing his eyes.  
  
"We have to start getting things ready for your wedding, silly! I wanted to   
take Bra-chan to town today so we could get started!" Chichi exclaimed.  
  
"What...time is it?" Mirai Bra asked, yawning.  
  
"It's noon. Get up, we have lots to do!"  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Two newlyweds sat in a bubbly, warm bathtub, laughing and enjoying each   
other's company. Soft music played in the background, and they were   
surrounded by baskets of food as they sipped on some sparkiling champagne.  
  
"Did I ever tell you that our planet is famous for its chocolate?" Mirai Pan   
said as she opened a box from a shop she knew rather well.  
  
"Nope, I don't believe you did. Is it that good?"  
  
"Oh yes. You also might not have known, that before Earth was destroyed,   
it was the only planet besides ours known to grow chocolate. Now Dahlia-sei   
makes a large portion of its capital from chocolate, because people all over   
the universe want it. Here, try some."  
  
She stuffed a chocolate-covered berry in his mouth, and he nodded his head in   
approval. "It's delicious. What kind of berry is that?"  
  
"It's called a Blushberry. Like it?"  
  
"Is there more?"  
  
Smiling, she fed him another. "Having fun yet, my king?"  
  
"Hmm...I sure am. Why can't we just stay like this for the whole honeymoon?"  
  
"Oh, no. Don't go there again. I told you, I need to get out more. I haven't   
had a real vacation since I became queen. And you'd better make the most of   
this honeymoon, because now that you're king, you won't have a whole lot of   
free time anymore, either."  
  
"Not even time to be a parent?" he asked, and Pan blushed.  
  
"I guess we could make time for that," she said.  
  
"Honestly though, Pan-chan. I can't wait for us to have children. I grew up   
without my father, so...I want to be the best father there is."  
  
"Let me guess. You want to have a nice, strong little boy that you can train."  
  
"Actually...I think I'd love to have a little girl."  
  
"Really? Wow, that's not a typical male response."  
  
"I'd want a little girl...because I'd want her to be just like you. Beautiful   
and loving. Then I know I'd cherish her with all my heart," he said.  
  
Close to tears, she hugged him tightly. "You really do say the sweetest   
things."  
  
"I only say what I feel, my love."  
  
"So...you ready to head to Azura yet?"  
  
"Hmm...not quite. Let's just stay like this...a little longer."  
  
"If we stay in any longer we're gonna turn into prunes!"  
  
"Just a few more minutes, love. Azura's still gonna be there in a few hours."  
  
"Oh, fine. Just promise me something...don't spoil my fun on this trip, okay?"  
  
He smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it, my love."  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"Wow...this place is almost as big as the palace," Videl said, looking at the   
large mansion in awe.  
  
"Let us get settled in. The servants inside will show you to your rooms, and   
then we can begin the training," Lutz said, leading them inside.  
  
After finding their rooms and getting a quick tour of the place, Lutz took   
them to the beach that was close by to start the "special" training. Goku and   
Gohan insisted on coming along so they could observe just what was being   
taught.  
  
"This will be the most difficult aspect of your training as mages of the   
Mystoke art. Starting today, I will begin training you on how to control the   
elements around you," Lutz said.  
  
"The elements?" Videl asked.  
  
"Yes. The basic elements are water, earth, wind and fire. Once you've mastered all of these, you'll learn skills on how to turn water into ice, how   
to harness lightning and control the atmosphere, and so on. Eventually you   
will be able to make your own spells using the elements. That is where the   
true power of this magic art lies. Master the elements, and the remainder of   
your training will be child's play," Lutz told them.  
  
"So then...are we gonna like, learn how to use fireballs and stuff?" Pan asked.  
  
"Perhaps. Your older self didn't take a liking to the fire spells. She   
prefers using the non-elemental spells over everything else. But you could be   
different. We'll just have to see."  
  
"Are we starting with water today, then?" Videl asked.  
  
"Yes. However, keep in mind that this portion of your training is NOT an   
overnight process. It takes even the most skilled person at least six months   
to learn it in its entirety. It could even take you longer, depending on   
which elements you have the most trouble with, if any."  
  
"Let's get started. I want to complete all this as soon as possible," Videl said.  
  
"Very well. Let us begin."  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"I'm glad we have a chance to talk by ourselves, Bra-chan. I really haven't gotten to know you...well, the older you...all that well. So, tell me   
everything about your relationship with Goten. When did you realize how you   
felt about each other? Was it recently? Or was it a while ago?"  
  
Bra smiled somewhat nervously at Chichi's enthusiasm. "Well...to tell you the   
truth, I've loved Goten for as long as I can remember. But...he didn't seem   
to actually start feeling the same way until Pan-chan left to fight Zio. We'd   
gotten closer since all the tragedy happened, and he came to care about me   
more, I suppose."  
  
"I never would've guessed he would end up with you. But I'm happy, knowing   
that he's found someone he loves. It thrills me to see that he's finally   
matured. I mean, the servants at the palace call him "Lord" Goten. I never   
thought he would ever be in a place of such high rank."  
  
"Well, he is the queen's uncle, after all. A lot of people really respect and   
admire him. Everything that happened on Earth forced him to grow up too, I   
guess. He wants to protect and fight for what he has left."  
  
"I wish you three didn't have to suffer so much. But...let's not talk about   
unpleasant things. What plans have been made for the wedding so far? Have   
they started on your dress? Where will you be having the ceremony? I've been   
so preoccupied with Pan-chan's wedding, I haven't had time to help with yours."  
  
"It's all right, Chichi-san. Actually, I haven't decided what kind of dress I   
want yet. There are two different styles I like, but I don't know which one I   
should choose," Bra said.  
  
"Well, perhaps we can sort that out today. And I'm sure your mother would like to be there while we do this."  
  
"My mother?" Bra said as she chuckled slightly. "Which one?"  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"So. That's the place where the night never ends?" Mirai Trunks asked, looking out at the lights of the vast city.  
  
"Yup. That's Casba, the City of Eternal Moonlight. Come on, let's put the   
ship in its capsule and go look around!"  
  
"Sure, looks like fun. There's gotta be some good food in a town that big."  
  
As to not attract attention to their gluttonous eating habits, they went to   
several restaurants sampling the different cuisine rather than splurging at   
just one place. Trunks had to admit, the Alisa Galaxy had some of the best   
food he'd ever tasted in his life.  
  
"Laerma Nuts! Get your roasted Laerma Nuts here!"  
  
"Wow...they smell really good. Is that how they always smell?" Trunks asked   
the vendor.  
  
"No, they're roasted in brown honey and coated with sugar and hazelspice. Try   
a sample, they're really delicious!"  
  
"Yum...Pan-chan, let's get some."  
  
"Aren't you full yet? And here I thought I could eat a lot."  
  
"We'll take two," Trunks said as he paid the vendor and handed Pan a bag of nuts.  
  
"Honestly, Trunks. I thought you would be done after you ate all those   
sweetcakes two blocks ago," she said.  
  
"Hey, there's always room for more."  
  
"You're as bad as my uncle. Listen, why don't we go shop over at the Crystal   
Square? I wanna bring back gifts for everyone."  
  
"Whatever you want, love. But don't forget, you promised me some private time."  
  
Pan sighed. He was hopeless. Fighting, food and sex. It seemed that was all   
he ever thought about lately. Not that those were necessarily bad things...  
  
A FEW HOURS LATER...  
  
"What's this stone called?"   
  
"The bronze-colored one? It's called an Amber Eye. It's one of the more   
expensive jewels here," the merchant said.  
  
"Maybe I'll get this for Bra-chan. She likes collecting jewels like this.   
I'll take it." Pan said.  
  
"We've been shopping for hours. Can't we do something else now?" Trunks   
complained.  
  
"Well...I guess I could always shop more when we go to the next city.   
Besides, it's almost time for us to catch our show."  
  
"Show?"  
  
"Yes, we have tickets to go see a musical downtown. It's based on one of my   
favorite plays."  
  
"What's it called?"  
  
"It's called The Mysterious Beauty. I've always wanted to see it on stage.   
Come on!"  
  
"What about our private time?"  
  
"Trunks..."  
  
"I know, I know. I'm spoiling your fun."  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"Concentrate. Focus only on the water. Clear your mind of everything else.   
Let the powers you already have guide you," Lutz instructed, as Videl and   
Young Pan sat on the beach, eyes closed, trying to do as he said.  
  
'Maybe I can learn just by watching,' Goku thought, as he observed what was   
happening on the beach. 'I HAVE to help in this fight. I have to protect my   
family at all costs.'  
  
"Tousan?"  
  
Goku turned in the direction of the voice. "Oh...hello, Gohan."  
  
"Anything interesting happen with their training yet?"  
  
"No, not really. They're just starting out, after all."  
  
"Tousan...I was hoping I could talk to you about something," Gohan said with   
a serious tone.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Can we go back to the mansion? I'd rather we talked in private."  
  
"Oh...sure thing."  
  
They returned to Esper Mansion and sat in the downstairs parlor. "Tousan,   
I've...I've really had a lot on my mind lately."  
  
"Oh? Like what?"  
  
"Well...Mirai Pan, for one thing. Since the day she came to us...I've been a   
little scared. Not only about the future, but...other things, too."  
  
"You're scared for Little Pan?"  
  
"Yes, Tousan. But...the wedding...I didn't know if I could handle it. I mean,   
my little girl is only eleven years old. And...watching her as a grown woman,   
right before my eyes, and...giving her away to Mirai Trunks..."  
  
"You were really overwhelmed, weren't you?"  
  
"Yes. I mean, I'm happy knowing that she'll grow up to be beautiful and   
powerful, but..."  
  
"But?"  
  
"I...I can't let her fight alone! Especially with Videl involved. Tousan,   
what would happen if I lost them? What if they can't defeat Zio? I would hate   
myself, hate myself for not being able to do anything!"  
  
"Gohan...I understand. That's why I asked Lutz if he would train me."  
  
"You did? What...did he say?"  
  
"He said there were some aspects I could learn, but not the entire magic art   
itself. It goes against their laws, I guess. But since he'll be busy with Pan   
and Videl, he said I could train with Mirai Pan when she gets back."  
  
"Tousan! I have to train with you! I want to help fight, too. I have to help   
protect everyone!"  
  
"Okay. We'll talk to Lutz about it tonight."  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"Well, thanks for dragging me to that musical after all. I actually really   
liked it."  
  
"Princess Serra has got to be my favorite heroine of all time. The music and   
acrobatics were just spectacular," Mirai Pan said, sighing as they stepped   
inside the ship.  
  
"Well...I liked it for a different reason. That Princess Serra...actually   
reminded me a lot of you," he said.  
  
"Me? Why?"  
  
"Well...didn't you think the story was similar to our own life?"  
  
"Similar?"  
  
"Think about it. A lonely warrior has a dream, about a beautiful princess.   
When he finds her, he learns that her people are in danger and decides to   
help her overcome the villain. Along the way, they fall in love. And the   
princess has great powers, just like you. That all sounds pretty familiar, wouldn't you say?"  
  
Thinking about what he just said, Pan finally realized the irony of it. She   
smiled. "I guess you're right. I can't believe I didn't catch on before. I   
know...how about this? Every year on our anniversary, we'll come back to   
Casba and watch it again."  
  
"Well, not only that, but we can listen to it whenever we want to," he said,   
holding up the small disc case in his hand.  
  
"Hey...you bought the soundtrack!"  
  
"When I was watching the show...I realized we didn't have our own song." He   
put the disc in the music player and took her in his arms. "Dance with me,   
Pan-chan."  
  
Smiling, she laid her head on his chest as a familiar song played in the   
background.  
  
I have dreamt the beautiful dream,  
And have seen it come true,  
Have you dreamt of me,  
As I have of you?  
  
Your face I couldn't see,  
Your voice I didn't know.  
And the day you came to me,  
I felt complete, from head to toe.  
  
My mysterious beauty,  
I fell in love with you that night.  
My mysterious beauty,  
For you, I will always fight.  
My mysterious beauty,  
Who has filled my empty heart,  
My mysterious beauty,  
From you, I shall never be apart.  
  
  
Pan felt tears as the accuracy of the song hit home. "So...from now on...this   
is our song," she said.  
  
"Yes, Pan-chan. From now on, if you ever feel depressed...listen to the song.   
Listen to it, and know just how much I love you."  
  
* End for now. *  
  
Okay, um...I'm pretty good at story writing but...I suck at poetry, IMO. Yes,   
the lyrics to that song are my own. I was gonna use a real song here, but...I   
just thought it would be more dramatically powerful if I used my own. I still   
think I could have written it better. Ah, well. But the future Bra and Goten   
WILL be getting married in the next chapter...I promise!  
  
Read, review, and be merry! =)  
  
Sincerely,   
Lady S  
  
  



	14. More Wedding Bells

Mysterious Beauty  
Chapter 12: More Wedding Bells  
By Lady Starra  
Rating: PG-13  
presea94@netscape.net  
See foreword for standard disclaimers.  
  
  
Okay, I think playing all those Final Fantasy games has rubbed off on me.   
Because from here on in, I will be using aspects of FF to describe spells and   
other things. In the foreword of this story I mentioned that many of the   
names of places, people and spells came from an RPG called Phantasy Star.   
(For those of you who didn't read it, shame on you...go read it now!) But I   
realized, that I haven't really named any of the spells in this story. So, I   
am gonna start making a lot of references to FF from here on in. It seems   
weird, but playing Final Fantasy 9 for six hours straight ^^; is pretty darn   
inspiring when you're in the middle of writing a story about magic. Besides,   
the magic and spells in FF are way cooler than Phantasy Star anyway. ;)   
  
And speaking of Final Fantasy...I don't own it. It belongs to Squaresoft and   
was created by the brilliant, talented, ingenious Hironobu Sakaguchi.   
  
Like I said in the foreword, I'm too lazy to come up with my own spell names,   
but I know if any of you are fans of FF, you might enjoy this. Please don't   
hate me for being lazy... ^^; But this chapter got done purdy quickly, so   
hopefully that makes up for my laziness. ^_^  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"So you see, Lutz...I'm not just going to stand by while my wife and daughter   
are risking their lives. I don't even have to learn anything exceptionally   
difficult, I just want to be able to protect them if anything happens," Gohan said.  
  
"Lutz, you said Goten could use magic. What exactly does he know?" asked Goku.  
  
"Allow me to explain a few other things first. On this planet, most everyone   
is trained in magic, in one form or another. Certain magic falls under   
different categories, all of which are different forms of magic. Only a   
member of the royal family and whoever is appointed as the head sorcerer can   
learn them all. When all of these powers are combined with summon magic and   
time magic, and it makes up every aspect of Mystoke. Goten and Bra have only   
learned one category of magic, which is all they are allowed."  
  
"Okay...I got that. But what can they do?" Goku asked again.  
  
"Goten is a Blue Mage. This means he specializes in using variations of   
magic skills, some are used to heal, some to fight. Bra has been trained in   
White Magic, meaning she knows healing and protect magic," Lutz told them.  
  
"So many different kinds of magic...how are we supposed to know which one to   
learn?" Gohan asked.  
  
"When you begin your training, you will know which magic best suits you.   
Although, for the two of you I would guess that you would be most beneficial   
learning Blue Magic. Since you Saiyajins are so strong, I have a feeling that   
will be the skill that suits you most. Blue Magic is one of the most powerful   
forms."  
  
"Well...why can't Mirai Goten train us, then?" Goku asked.  
  
"I...have considered that. However, I do not know if he'd be ready for that.   
Queen Pan has already had experience training others, so it may be best if   
you trained with her," Lutz suggested.  
  
"Wait...I just realized something. Now that Trunks is king, he's gonna be   
able to learn Mystoke too, am I right?" Gohan asked.   
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, who's gonna train him? I would imagine someone like you or Pan-chan  
would have to, since he's the king and should have the best people training   
him. It would be better if we trained with Mirai Goten," Gohan said.  
  
"Hmm...I had forgotten about the king's training. I could introduce the two   
of you to Tajima."  
  
"Tajima?"  
  
"He's the one who trained Goten in Blue Magic. He's the most experienced Blue   
Mage on the planet."  
  
"Well, why didn't you say so!? Let's meet him!" Goku said with enthusiasm.  
  
"However," Lutz continued, "Tajima won't train just anyone. He is also a   
skilled swordsman, and will only train you if you can manage to defeat him in   
a sword fight."  
  
"Goten beat him in a sword fight?" Gohan asked in amazement.  
  
"Yes. He did train with Crys, after all. Crys is the most elite swordsman   
known on Dahlia-sei."  
  
"But we don't know how to use weapons," Goku grimaced.  
  
"Precisely why I didn't mention Tajima before. It would be better if you   
trained with the queen."  
  
"But...if this guy's the best...he's the one we should learn from. We'll just   
have to ask Crys to teach us how to use swords, too," Goku said.  
  
"Tousan?!" Gohan said in confusion.  
  
"Goku-san...learning the Seiken sword art is somewhat time consuming. That's   
at least an extra year of training, which brings me to the bad news. It took   
Goten three years to learn most of the aspects of the Blue Magic, and another   
year to fully master the more complicated techniques. So, you're talking   
about another five years of training. How long do you plan on making your   
wives stay here? The younger Pan will have aged too much to return to the   
exact time in which you left Earth."  
  
"Five...years?" Gohan asked.  
  
"I'll bet we could learn faster. I'm stronger than my son is. I'm sure I   
could learn everything in half the time. In fact, I know I can," Goku said.  
  
"I'm gonna try, too. I just want to help Videl and Pan-chan. I'll do   
anything," Gohan said.  
  
Lutz sighed. He'd never met anyone as determined as a Saiyajin. "Very well. I   
shall write Crys a letter to explain things, and you can take it to him   
tonight. Before I do, is there anyone else I should know about who might want   
to train?"  
  
"Hmm...Tousan, do you think our Goten would?"  
  
"Maybe. I know Vegeta will probably want to as well. He's been training on   
his own since we got here. I'll ask him."  
  
"Yes, well keep in mind that there are other options besides blue magic,"   
Lutz said.  
  
"Well, maybe we should have Mirai Goten show us some of this blue magic   
stuff, and we'll decide from there," Goku decided.  
  
"All right," Gohan agreed. "But five years...let's hope it doesn't take   
us that long."  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
ONE MONTH LATER...  
  
Mirai Goten stood in a gazebo overlooking the cliffs near Esper Mansion,   
watching the waves crash over the rocks as the sun started to come up. In a   
few hours, he would be getting married on this very spot. They decided to   
have their reception on the beach as well. It was going to be more of a   
traditional Earth wedding, not following most of Dahlia-sei's customs. Of   
course, he and Mirai Bra were not native Dahlians, so they were not required   
to go through all of the traditional ceremonies of the planet. However, they   
couldn't get out of having the dusk 'til dawn reception. It wouldn't be until   
this time tomorrow that his reception would officially be ending.  
  
He sighed. So much was going on. Mirai Trunks was learning Mystoke and   
adjusting to being king. His father, brother, and younger self were currently   
training with Crys, in hopes that Tajima would teach them Blue Magic. Vegeta,   
when asked if he wanted to learn magic, seized the opportunity, but always   
wanting to have his own individuality, chose not to train with the others and   
was now under the instruction of a Red Mage. Videl and Young Pan were   
training hard, too. The people of Mirai Trunks' time were making Landen a   
whole new community, getting their lives back on track. And today...he, Son   
Goten, was getting married to the woman he loved more than anything.  
  
How had he gotten here? It seemed like it wasn't that long ago when they had   
lost everything...well, almost everything. They'd had each other all these   
years. Although his mother had been somewhat of a pain recently trying to do   
everything for the wedding herself, he suddenly felt grateful for it. Having   
his parents there at all was a miracle in itself. So, he wasn't going to complain. He'd seen how radiant his niece had been on her own wedding day,   
being walked down the aisle by her father...something she was sure she'd   
never see happen. Everything was so perfect...  
  
"Unfortunately, when you think everything's perfect...that's when disaster   
usually strikes," he said to himself. "No...I shouldn't be so negative. Not   
on my wedding day. I have to make today special for Bra-chan," he concluded,   
and made his way back to the mansion. Only good things were ahead of them.   
But this upcoming fight with Zio...he didn't know why he felt so nervous   
about it. It was agreed that Pan and her mother would not face him alone.   
With everyone training, surely Zio wouldn't stand a chance. But if that was   
the case...why was he getting all these uneasy feelings about it?  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
At around noon, the groom was standing at the gazebo with his brother and   
groomsmen, dressed in formals, looking at the many guests arriving as the   
wedding ceremony drew near.  
  
"Try to relax," Gohan told him.  
  
"I...can't. I'm just so nervous. I'm also afraid that she's gonna be too   
gorgeous when she comes out, and I'm gonna faint, I know it."  
  
"Come on, little brother. Take a few deep breaths. Believe me, I know how you   
feel. I was a wreck the day I married Videl. But it'll be over before you   
know it."  
  
"Not with a Dahlian minister doing the ceremony," the groom mumbled.  
  
"This isn't a royal wedding, Goten. It won't take as long," Crys assured him.  
  
"I sure hope not."  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Mirai Bra looked at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath. 'I've been   
waiting my whole life for this day,' she thought. 'And best of all, my family   
is here, my friends...everyone's here.'  
  
There was a knock outside the door, and Mirai Trunks and Goten entered the room.  
  
"GOTEN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO SEE THE BRIDE BEFORE THE   
CEREMONY!" Chichi cried, trying to push Goten out.  
  
"Kaasan, RELAX! I'm the other Goten!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Eh...? Oh...oh, gomen, Goten-kun. I'm just...so terribly excited," Chichi   
said, calming down.  
  
"We just wanted to see the bride and wish her well," Goten said, looking at   
Mirai Bra. 'Man, she is so beautiful,' he thought. 'I am one lucky guy in   
this world.'  
  
"Five more minutes, Bra-chan. Are you ready?" Mirai Pan asked.  
  
"Yes. Let's do this."  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
Mirai Goten couldn't believe it as he saw a beautiful goddess walking down   
the aisle, headed straight for him. 'Stay calm, Goten. This would be a bad   
time to pass out.'  
  
Bra and Vegeta reached the gazebo, and the minister spoke up. "Do you give   
this woman to be wedded to this man?" he asked Vegeta.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"All may be seated."  
  
The bride hugged her father. "Thank you, Daddy."  
  
Vegeta had always been able to hide his emotions well. He rarely ever wanted   
to cry, but seeing his daughter like this...although she wasn't quite the   
same as his other daughter, he was just as protective of her. He had always   
been afraid of when Bra would grow up. But now he knew he didn't have to be.   
Mirai Goten was a great fighter, and Vegeta was confident that he would   
always protect her, at any cost. Vegeta took the seat next to his wife.  
  
"I didn't think we'd be seeing this day so soon," she said to him.  
  
He didn't respond. 'Those two have bonded the same way Mirai Trunks and Pan   
bonded,' Vegeta thought. Gohan had asked Vegeta if the same would be true for   
the Trunks and Pan of their time. Vegeta wasn't sure, although it would make   
sense. He began to wonder about the possibility of his other daughter's   
future with the Goten of their world. 'If that boy wants to be worthy of her,   
he must at least become as strong as his other self. I will accept nothing less.'  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
The bride and groom's lips touched, and applauds and cheers broke out among   
the guests.  
  
"All right! Now let's eat!" Goku exclaimed.  
  
The reception on the beach was laid back and casual, not as formal as the   
king and queen's feast had been. Trunks had congratulated his sister and Mirai   
Goten, then kind of went off by himself. He remained cordial to   
everyone although he wasn't very fond of weddings. He was just thankful that   
the ceremony hadn't been as long as Mirai Pan's.  
  
When sunset came around, Trunks began to get bored. He'd already eaten   
everything he possibly could, there was nothing left to do. He planned on   
working the next day, so he wasn't going to stick around all night.  
  
"I might as well go now," he shrugged, and as he left, he suddenly felt   
someone run into him.  
  
"Oh, excuse me!" The person looked up at him and gasped. It was a girl,   
probably a native of the planet. She looked about his age. "Oh! I'm sorry,   
Your Majesty. Forgive my carelessness," she said as she bowed her head.  
  
"Hey, relax. I'm not the king. He's standing over there. See?" Trunks said, pointing.  
  
"Huh?" she said, and looked in the other direction. Sure enough, there was   
the king. The girl looked back in forth in confusion.  
  
"How...bizzare! Are you guys twins?" she asked.  
  
"Heh...sorta, but...not quite."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"It's quite a long story."  
  
Unbeknownst to Trunks, a young Pan looked in his direction with an annoyed   
glare. Ick, she hated it when girls flirted with Trunks. Before she had   
started her magic training, Trunks would take her and Bra out all the time   
for ice cream, whenever he had the chance. They never did things like that   
anymore. She had been so preoccupied with training that she'd forgotten about   
those little outings that meant so much to her.  
  
"Wow...that's a wild story. So you guys are the same, but different."  
  
"Yeah, but...I'd almost say he was the better of the two of us." Well...at   
least Mirai Pan thought so.  
  
"Oh? Why's that?"  
  
"Nah. Forget it."  
  
"You look bored. Why don't we join the dance?" the girl asked him.  
  
Ugh, he thought. He really didn't feel like it. "Um...I don't dance..."  
  
"It's all right, I'll show you! Come on," the girl said as she grabbed   
Trunks by the hand.  
  
Hearing all this, Young Pan rushed over and grabbed Trunks by the arm.   
"Trunks!" Trunks and the girl both turned in surprise. "Trunks! Dance with   
me!"  
  
"Oh, how sweet. I didn't know you had a girlfriend," the girl joked.  
  
"Trunks! I want you to dance with me," Pan urged.  
  
"Sorry precious, but he's taken for now," the girl said. Pan ignored her and   
continued to tug on Trunks' arm.  
  
"Please, Trunks?"  
  
Trunks looked down into the girl's hopeful face. 'Already so much like Mirai   
Pan,' he thought. 'Even when she's so young...it hurts to look at her.'  
  
"I'll dance with you later, okay Pan-chan?"  
  
Shocked, she just stood there. 'He's...gonna dance with her instead? It's   
not fair! She doesn't even know him!' She only let go of his hand, and he looked   
away as he left, knowing that he'd disappointed her.  
  
'I'm sorry, Pan-chan,' he thought, suddenly feeling guilty.  
  
"Trunks...I miss you," she said as she watched him walk away. She wanted to   
cry. 'No! Don't cry! You're supposed to act grown up, like Mirai Pan!' she   
told herself.  
  
The king and queen had seen and heard the entire scenario. "Poor kid. She   
looks heartbroken," Mirai Trunks said.  
  
Mirai Pan sighed. She remembered what the other Trunks had told her the night   
he had confessed his feelings. Every time he saw Young Pan, he saw her. 'He's  
being so unfair. Why is he making her suffer just because she reminds him of  
me?' She didn't want her younger self to feel so crushed.  
  
"She really wants to dance with Trunks. And she still can, you know," Mirai   
Pan hinted, nudging at her husband's side.  
  
"Did you read my mind?" he asked, smiling.  
  
"Actually, no. So are you gonna save the day or what?"  
  
"I hate seeing you so heartbroken, even as a child," he said, looking at the   
younger Pan. "I'd better turn that little pout into the smile I love so much."  
  
Meanwhile, Young Pan was still bewildered at the fact that he'd written her   
off so easily. 'Trunks...did I do something to make you mad? Don't you like   
me anymore? Why...'  
  
"Pardon me, little princess."  
  
She turned around, surprised to see Mirai Trunks standing there.  
  
"A cute girl like you shouldn't be alone. May I have this dance?"  
  
Shocked, she nodded. He took her hand and led her to where everyone was   
dancing, and she smiled. 'Well, at least I get to dance with one of him.'  
  
Although some people tried to clear the way for the king, he lifted his hand,   
telling them to relax. 'Geez, these people need to loosen up. This is a   
party, for crying out loud,' he thought.  
  
The other Trunks looked on as he saw little Pan dancing with Mirai Trunks. He   
supposed he should thank the guy afterwards, maybe now young Pan wouldn't be   
totally upset with him. 'She'll probably start liking him better too.'  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
"Thanks for the dance, Mirai Trunks!"  
  
"You're welcome, little Pan. You danced really well."  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"Oh, yes."  
  
"And...do you think...I'll grow up to be as pretty as Mirai Pan?"  
  
"Of course you will. You're the same person, aren't you?"  
  
"We sure are! Well, thanks again!" she said, waving goodbye as she walked   
off. Although Mirai Trunks had made her feel a lot better, she was still   
upset by what the other Trunks had done. Deciding she wanted to be alone, she   
walked along the beach by herself. Most of the beach was packed, but she knew   
just where she could go. One day, she'd found a little inlet on the beach   
while exploring the area. From then on it was her private area to think and   
just watch the stars. She could still hear the music from the beach, but she   
didn't mind...she really loved the music they had on this planet.  
  
"We've been here training for a while now, and I still can't control the   
water," she said, looking out at the beach. "It's just so hard...Kaasan has a   
lot of trouble too. I want to be strong. I want to make everyone proud of me."  
  
She thought back to Trunks again.  
  
"He's always working out at that place with his mother. What does he do there   
all day? Before we came out here, he always looked sad whenever I saw him. I   
wonder why? I was always so busy training, I never had time to cheer him up.   
Maybe that's why he's mad at me? Or maybe he's not mad at me. Maybe...he just   
wanted to dance with somebody his age."  
  
She growled. She still felt like her feelings had been hurt. She glared out   
at the water, clenching her fists. "I don't want to be a little girl   
anymore," she said. "I'm gonna grow up if it kills me!" She began to raise   
her ki. "I swear it!"  
  
Not even aware of it at first, the water in front of her began to rise. She  
raised her ki even more, enough for everyone to sense it.  
  
"Whose energy is that?!" Trunks cried.  
  
"It's Pan, the younger one. What's she doing?" Lutz said.  
  
"Where is she!? She might be in trouble!" Goten said.  
  
"No...she isn't. I can feel an increase in the water's energies. She's   
finally controlling the water."  
  
"What?" Videl asked, amazed.  
  
"We must find her and see. The energy is coming from that direction," Lutz said.  
  
Almost all of them went to find her, and when they did, they all stared wide-eyed  
at what they found. The water was rising in the air, and so was Pan, taking   
control of the water. They watched as a blue light emanated from her hands.  
  
"TSUNAMI!" she suddenly cried out, finally casting her first elemental spell.  
  
"What...it's a huge tidal wave!" Goten exclaimed.  
  
"It's headed straight for us!" Trunks cried as the large wave of water came   
toward them.  
  
"Everyone get back! Someone get her out of there!" Mirai Pan cried as she   
invervened. "TORNADO ZONE!"  
  
The wind magic began to push the water back towards the ocean, much to   
everyone's relief. Gohan managed to swoop down and get Young Pan before the   
wave hit her.  
  
"Well," Mirai Pan said as the the ocean went back to normal, "I guess she's   
got one elemental property down. That was pretty good. Not even MY Tsunami is   
that intense."  
  
"Look at you, young lady. You're all wet," Gohan said.  
  
"Uh...huh," Young Pan said, yawning. "So tired..."  
  
"She used all her energy for that spell. You may as well take her back to the   
mansion so she can sleep. She'll be useless until she gets some rest," Lutz said.  
  
"I'll take her back," Gohan said.  
  
"Well, that was...exciting. So I get to learn how to do the same thing   
eventually?" Mirai Trunks asked.  
  
"To control water, yes. That particular spell, probably not. A mage creates   
their own elemental spells, so for each person it's different. The only   
reason my water spell is the same as hers is because we ARE the same."  
  
"I see. Well...I can't wait to see what's in store for me."  
  
"Heh. Just you wait."  
  
*********************************************************************  
  
  
That's it for now, people. Please, PLEASE give me feedback, it helps me write   
faster! I luv you all!  
  
Sincerely,  
Lady S  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	15. The Unexpected

Mysterious Beauty  
Chapter 13: The Unexpected  
By Lady Starra  
Rating: PG-13  
presea94@netscape.net  
See foreword for standard disclaimers.  
  
*****************************************************************************  
  
"But MOTHER! How am I supposed to go to school?" a young Bra whined.  
  
"Chichi is going to be helping you with your lessons."  
  
"WHAT!? No! I'll never get a break!"  
  
"Relax. Chichi is going to be following a schedule that I've set for you.   
You'll spend an hour on each subject, including art and music. You'll be   
getting homework assignments too," Bulma told her.  
  
"It's not fair! Why doesn't Pan-chan have to study?" Bra complained.  
  
"You know she has to train, Bra."  
  
"But what about me!? Mirai Bra knows magic too, so why can't I learn magic?"  
  
"Mirai Bra wasn't ten years old when she learned it. You are going to study,   
Bra, or you won't be making any more trips to the marketplace," Bulma warned.  
  
"What!? But that's not fair!"  
  
Chichi entered the room then. "Is Bra-chan ready for her lesson, Bulma?"  
  
"Why do I have to study?!" Bra cried again.  
  
Chichi thought she might meet with some resistance. "So you can grow up to be   
intelligent, like Mirai Bra," Chichi said.  
  
"Like...her?"  
  
"Of course. You've seen the way she acts, haven't you? It's because when she   
came here, the scholars of this planet tutored her in everything she knows.   
She told me so. So, if you want to be like her, Bra-chan, you have to study.   
And if you do well on your assignments, I'll have Goten take you wherever you   
want to go in the evenings. How does that sound?"  
  
"REALLY!?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Okay! I'll study really hard!"  
  
Chichi gave Bulma a wink, and she winked back.  
  
*****************************************************************************  
  
Videl was tired. This was the fourth day they had started training in the   
earth element. Pan had been able to control water much sooner than she had,  
it had taken Videl a little longer to do it herself. And now, these last few   
days, she hadn't felt like herself. She hadn't wanted to get up that morning,   
didn't even want to train at all.  
  
'What is the matter with me?' she wondered. 'I haven't been able to   
concentrate for days. Maybe I'm coming down with something...'  
  
"Kaasan? Is something wrong?" Pan asked her mother.  
  
"I...I'll be okay, Pan-chan," Videl said.  
  
"No, something is wrong. Your training hasn't been the same this week. Your   
focus has been off. Is anything bothering you?" Lutz said, concerned.  
  
"I've just...been a little tired. But don't worry about me. I'll be fine," she  
assured him, returning to trying to focus once again on the earth in the   
forest. 'Concentrate, Videl. You can do this...'  
  
Suddenly Videl felt her head swimming as a strange dizziness began to take   
over. 'What's...going on?' The next thing she knew, her world went dark and   
she fell on the ground unconscious.  
  
*****************************************************************************  
  
"Heh! So, that's the healing spell you used the first time I met you. I was   
always wishing I could do that," Mirai Trunks said.  
  
"Well, now you can," his wife smiled. "You did good."   
  
"So...what's next?" he asked.  
  
"Actually, I...I think we should stop for today."  
  
"Huh? Why? It's not even close to sundown yet."  
  
"I know, but...I just feel really tired. It's weird...yesterday was like this   
too. I felt so drained and tired, I tried using the healing spell to boost my   
energy, but...it didn't seem to help," she sighed, leaning against one of the   
trees.  
  
Mirai Trunks lifted her chin to look at her face. "You do look a little pale,   
love. Maybe you're sick."  
  
"I don't know what it is. Like I said, the white magic doesn't help."  
  
"Maybe we will stop for today. Let's take you back and get you something to   
eat," Trunks said.  
  
"Trunks...can you carry me?" she asked.  
  
"Wha...carry you?"  
  
"I don't think I can fly. Honestly, Trunks, that's how tired I am."  
  
He began to worry. He'd never seen her like this, so weak that she would need   
to be carried. Something definitely wasn't right.  
  
*****************************************************************************  
  
"Mistress Kara?"  
  
Kara turned to see a servant approaching her. "Yes?"  
  
"I bring a message from Lady Bra. She regrets that she is unable to go to the   
archery range with you this afternoon. It seems she has taken ill."  
  
"Ill? Didn't she try to heal herself?" Kara asked.  
  
"I don't know, mistress. She just said she felt nauseous, and very dizzy."  
  
"Is she in her rooms?"  
  
"Yes, mistress."  
  
"Then I'll go see what's wrong with her."  
  
Mirai Bra heard a knock on her door. "Come in."  
  
Kara walked in, and sat on the bed.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I...don't know."  
  
"Did you try the cure spell?"  
  
"Yes. I used it when I was feeling like this earlier today, but...it didn't work."  
  
"Didn't work? That's impossible. The spell should be able to cure all forms   
of sickness."  
  
"Well, it did help for a while, but it just came back again. I feel   
terrible," Mirai Bra told her.  
  
"Hmm...this is strange. The cure spell backfiring...doesn't seem right. I'll   
go find Lutz. Maybe he can do something."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Leaving the room, Kara suddenly felt Lutz's ki return to the palace grounds.   
"What's he doing back so early?" she wondered aloud. Going out to the courtyard,   
she was surprised to see Lutz carrying an unconsious Videl in his arms.  
  
"Lutz! What happened to her?!"  
  
"I'm not certain. She collapsed while we were training."  
  
"Lutz...Bra's not feeling well. She used the cure spell and it had no   
effect," Kara said.  
  
"What? No effect...?"  
  
"Look!" Pan said, pointing upwards. There was Mirai Trunks, carrying Mirai   
Pan in his arms.  
  
"What the...did something happen to Pan, too? What the heck is going on!?"   
Kara exclaimed.  
  
On the ground, Trunks set Mirai Pan on her feet. "Huh? What happened to my   
mother?" she asked.  
  
"She just passed out while we were training," Young Pan said.  
  
"Pan, why was he carrying you?" Kara asked.  
  
"I...don't feel well. I've felt extremely weak all day long."  
  
"Let me guess. You used the cure spell, and it didn't work," Kara said.  
  
Mirai Pan looked at her in surprise. "How...do you know?"  
  
"Bra is sick right now. She said she used the cure spell and it didn't help.   
It's probably the same for Videl-san. It's really strange the way all three   
of you just suddenly came down with something," Kara said.  
  
"What could it be?" Mirai Trunks said.  
  
"Lutz, isn't there anything that can be done?" Kara asked.  
  
"We should seek the help of a High Mage. I'll get in contact with one after I   
put Videl-san in her rooms. In the meantime, someone should go find her   
husband and Lord Goten and get them back here," Lutz said.  
  
"I'll go. Crys said he was taking them to the Shusoran Forest to train today.   
I won't be long," Kara said.  
  
"I'm gonna get some rest, too," Mirai Pan said. "I hope this isn't as bad as   
it seems."  
  
*****************************************************************************  
  
"You guys are really doing great. It didn't take you long to get that first   
segment down at all. Keep it up and Tajima will beg for mercy," Crys said.  
  
"Thanks, Crys. But I wonder...do we ALL really have to beat Tajima? If we get   
better it may be too much of a beating for him," Goten said.  
  
"Maybe, since he's already trained me, he won't fight against you," Mirai   
Goten told him. "As far as Tousan and Gohan go, they'll definitely have to   
defeat him."  
  
"Hey...I was thinking, maybe...I should learn a different magic skill. I   
mean, we should be well balanced in every kind of magic when we fight Zio,   
right?" Gohan said.  
  
"Well...what about your sword training, Tousan? It'll all be for nothing,"   
Goten said.  
  
"No. The swordfighting was a good experience for me, and I plan on continuing   
it. But I just don't think our magic skills should be repetitive."  
  
"If I may," Crys interrupted, "Let me recommend something. The dragon knights   
of the west possess powerful magic. But, like Tajima, they won't just teach   
anyone who comes to them. You have to prove yourself worthy."  
  
"Dragon knights?" Goku asked.  
  
"Yes, they inhabit what's known as the Vile Forest. It's the most dangerous   
land there is on Dahlia-sei, crawling with dragons and fierce beasts. The   
dragon knights are the ones who keep the dragons under control and defeat   
them. But their magic is sacred, and unlike Blue Magic, it's not one of the   
forms of magic that make up the Mystoke Art. Not even the queen or head   
sorcerer know what a Dragon Mage knows. I really think it would suit you,   
Goku-san. I would teach you myself, but..."  
  
"You know their magic?"  
  
"Yes, but before they would train me I had to take an oath that I wouldn't   
teach the magic to anyone else. It's that sacred. If you want to learn, you   
have to go through a series of tests to prove your worth," Crys explained.  
  
"Sounds challenging. Could you introduce me to them?"  
  
"I have a better idea. In about four months, Dahlia-sei's annual Magic and   
Weapons Tournament will be taking place. If you REALLY want to get the   
attention of the dragon knights, defeat a few of them in the tournament.   
Their swordsmanship is awesome as well. You may still have to go through a   
few of their tests, but it may not be as bad."  
  
"Yeah, and if Gohan can defeat Tajima there, that would really be convenient   
too," Mirai Goten said.  
  
"Well, why don't you show me some of this dragon magic, Crys? I'll have to   
see it in action before I decide," Goku said.  
  
"I can show you tomorrow. Today, though, I want to show you a little more on   
the Magic Break technique," Crys said.  
  
"Hey...Crys, isn't that Kara heading this way?" Mirai Goten asked, looking up.  
  
"Yeah...it is."  
  
Kara landed when she spotted them. "Goten, Gohan, you need to come back to   
the palace immediately."  
  
"What's the matter?" Mirai Goten asked.  
  
"Pan, Videl, and Bra have come down with some sort of a strange illness and   
white magic isn't curing it. They're complaining about their energy being low   
and not being able to use their magic to restore it," Kara told them.  
  
"Oh no...Bra-chan!" Mirai Goten said in a panic, flying off toward the   
castle, with Gohan following right behind him.  
  
"Hey, wait for us!" Goten said as he, Goku, Crys and Kara followed.  
  
*****************************************************************************  
  
"I wonder what could be wrong with them?" Chichi said as they all waited   
downstairs for Lutz and another mage to come down with news on their   
condition.  
  
"The fact that their magic didn't help worries me. Pan-chan was able to cure   
people infected with the worst virus ever in my world. If she can't cure   
this, then..."  
  
"Trunks!"  
  
Gohan and the others arrived, surprised to see everyone, even Present Trunks,   
at the palace waiting for some news.  
  
"What's going on right now?" Gohan asked.  
  
"Lutz and some High White Mage are examining them. They're hoping that the   
spells of a high mage will be more powerful and be able to heal them," Mirai Trunks said.  
  
"Videl told me she hadn't been feeling well. But I hadn't thought it to be so   
serious," Gohan said.  
  
"Videl is strong, Gohan. She's fine, I know she is," Chichi said.  
  
Just then, Lutz and a female mage came down the stairs.  
  
"I have examined the queen and the other two ladies," she announced.  
  
"ARE THEY OKAY!?" Gohan, Mirai Trunks and Mirai Goten all said in unison,   
running up to her.  
  
"Are they the husbands?" the woman asked Lutz.  
  
"Yes, we are. What's the matter with my wife!?" Gohan asked again.  
  
"Why...nothing at all. In fact, I believe congratulations are in order," she said.  
  
The three men looked at her in confusion. "I...don't understand," Gohan frowned.  
  
The mage laughed. "Congratulations, gentlemen. Your wives are pregnant."  
  
*****************************************************************************  
  
NYAH! NYAH! You gotta wait until the next chapter to find out their reaction!   
*starts singing* I know what happens and you don't, HA HA HA HA HA....  
Ahem...sorry. But I love a good cliffhanger, don't you? Well, I believe   
things have just gotten a ton more interesting. Please tell me how you liked it! 


End file.
